Killer banned from contact with children

Elizabeth Mary Healy was convicted for killing a 17-month-old child and poisoning another. Photo / iStock

Convicted child killer Elizabeth Mary Healy has been banned from having contact with children for the rest of her life.

Elizabeth Mary Healy was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1998 for killing 17-month-old Shae Hammond and poisoning the other child in January 1997.

She was first granted parole in March 2013 but was recalled in November 2014 after her behaviour while on parole "became abysmal".

Healy was accused of breaching her parole conditions by babysitting a neighbour's young child.

Hutt Valley District Court Judge Chris Tuohy dismissed the charge after he was not satisfied to the required criminal standard.

However, the Parole Board found it was "abundantly clear that there was a failure to keep in mind to faithfully adhere" to her parole conditions.

Now, she has now been granted parole for a second time.

In a decision released today, the Parole Board said Healy had changed her attitude and behaviour after receiving psychological treatment over the last year.

"The treatment has focused on identifying and exploring the internal barriers (e.g. thought patterns, emotions and coping strategies) that impeded Ms Healy putting her safety plan into practice following her last release," the board said.

"Her plan has been updated to reflect this work. Overall, the treatment seems to have been positive, resulting in identifiable changes in Ms Healy's attitude and behaviour, which she was able to discuss with us today."

The Parole Board also noted she had a "very strong support network" and had proposed to live with a long-term supporter and friend on her release.

The board acknowledged that the family of Healy's victim is "extremely concerned" that she will continue to pose a threat to other young children.

They also asked that upon Healy's release she is banned from entering Christchurch and from having contact with children.

The board granted release subject to standard conditions, plus 13 special conditions, which includes psychological, as well as alcohol and drug use, counselling or treatment, and to only live and work at approved places.

The conditions also stipulate that "for the rest of your life", Healy must not associate or contact any person under 16 years of age or younger unless another adult, over the age of 20 years who has previously been approved in writing by her probation officer is present.

Healy will be electronically-monitored and also banned from contacting her victim's family, or to enter Christchurch without prior permission from her probation officer.
And she is banned from alcohol and drugs for the rest of her life.

"Ms Healy is in a much stronger position now than a year ago," the parole board said.

"Provided she adheres to her safety plan and the conditions which we will impose, we are satisfied that her risk of reoffending can be mitigated in the community to the point where it is no longer undue."