Rebeka Waiba thought her 7-month-old son would be safe playing in the unplugged bath with the shower running.
But, distracted by a phone call from a "companionable" voice on an adult chatline, she was unaware a toy had blocked the plughole and water began to fill the bath.
When she returned from
her phonecall 20 minutes later, her infant son had drowned.
In the High Court at Auckland yesterday Justice David Baragwanath convicted and discharged the 29-year-old Mt Albert student.
Waiba, who formerly went by the name Mauri, had previously admitted a charge of manslaughter.
The judge said Waiba was not a "feckless mother" with no concern for the welfare of her 7-month-old child, Ryco.
Waiba was described in court as a caring and loving mother who kept her child clean, tidy and well nourished. Justice Baragwanath spoke of her anguish at the death of her son.
He said Waiba had thought the phonecall might be from her 20-year-old brother who had not returned home, causing her concern, or the police.
But it turned out to be a "companionable" voice from someone from the chatline.
Justice Baragwanath said Waiba wrongly assumed that the water would flow away and that she could monitor the child by listening to him from an adjoining room.
