Woman charged after toddler found alive in suitcase on bus seeks insanity defence

The woman's lawyer confirmed she is seeking a defence of insanity in the Auckland District Court today. Photo / Getty

The 27-year-old woman charged after a toddler was found alive in a suitcase in the luggage compartment of a bus is seeking a defence of insanity.

The woman’s lawyer, Kate Goodman-Creed, told the Auckland District Court today a mental health report had been commissioned, which will be given to the Crown for its views on how the case should proceed.

The Crown will decide if it wants to produce its own psychiatric report.

Under the Criminal Procedure (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act, a court can find a case against a person proven, but that they are not criminally responsible on account of insanity.

Judge Belinda Sellars set a jury trial date for late June next year, in case of the event where it is needed.

On August 3, the 2-year-old was found by a driver of an InterCity bus from Whangārei to Auckland.

Police were called about 12.50pm after a passenger asked to access the luggage department during a planned stop in Kaiwaka, a small town in Northland.

The Northland woman was charged with ill treatment/neglect of a child after the toddler was found.

The woman has permanent name suppression and is on bail.