Trial for attempted murder of disabled daughter, trying to coerce suicide

The parent is charged with attempting to murder their daughter, along with aiding and abetting suicide and perverting the course of justice, in a High Court trial in Whangārei. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Warning: Discusses suicide

A person on trial for attempting to murder their disabled daughter and coerce their spouse into suicide wanted the family to die together, the Crown alleges.

The defendant, known only as B due to suppression orders, is on trial in the High Court at Whangārei for attempted murder and aiding and abetting suicide in February 2023.

They are also charged with attempting to perverse the course of justice in September 2023, in relation to an interaction with their daughter’s caregiver which could have allegedly made bail conditions more favourable.

Crown prosecutor Alex Goodwin explained how the daughter was born with disabilities that meant she had limited physical ability and an inability to communicate. The couple also had a son who died.

Goodwin told the jury that when that child died, B wanted the remaining family members to die together.

The defendant allegedly tried to convince their spouse to die by suicide, then allegedly tried to kill their daughter and themselves through overdosing on medications, he said.

The daughter did not have a choice about wanting to die - she was unable to take medications on her own - but the parent attempted to make that choice for her, Goodwin said.

B and the daughter required hospital treatment but both survived.

The Crown’s key evidence is a suicide note penned by B, where they outlined how they had been suffering severe depression since their son’s death and wanted to “go” and take their daughter with them.

In September, while on bail, B then threatened to take the job of a caregiver of the daughter, if the caregiver did not sign an affidavit that would have been favourable to the defendant’s bail conditions, Goodwin alleged.

B denies all three charges.

Defence lawyer Arthur Fairley told the jury it was a very sad case and there were a number of issues with the Crown’s case.

“To be proven guilty of attempted murder, B needed to have intent to murder the daughter and have given her sufficient medication to kill her”, he said.

“The medication was clearly not enough to kill the daughter”, Fairley said.

B was depressed after the loss of their son and talked to their spouse about joining their son, but there is a question if this was positive counselling into suicide, he said.

With the third charge of perverting the course of justice, there is a question if B was trying to change the mind of the caregiver or if it was simply an employment matter, Fairley said.

The trial, in front of a jury of seven women and five men, is expected to last two weeks.

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.