Women charged in relation to death of Te Puna 5-year-old boy appear in court

Both women appeared in Tauranga District Court today. Photo / NZME

Two women charged in relation to the death of a 5-year-old from Te Puna can now be named.

Michaela Barriball, 27, and Sharron Barriball, 37, appeared in the Tauranga District Court in person today before Judge John McDonald.

Michaela Barriball faces a charge of willfully ill-treating a child while Sharron Barriball is charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The woman were charged in relation to the death of 5-year-old Malachi Subecz who was found with injuries at a Te Puna property on November 1 and treated in Tauranga Hospital.

Five-year-old Malachi Subecz died in Starship Hospital. Photo / Supplied

He was flown to Starship Hospital in Auckland, where he died on November 12.

Defence lawyer John Wayne Howell argued for name suppression for Michaela Barriball but Judge Macdonald declined it. Sharron Barriball's suppression lapsed.

Michaela Barriball was remanded into custody to next appear before the court on December 2 while Sharron Barriball was remanded into custody to next appear on November 25.

The investigation into Malachi's death is ongoing, and police would still like to hear from anyone who has interacted with Malachi over the past two to three months.