Mother guilty of the manslaughter of six-week-old baby

A jury found the mother guilty of smothering her six-week-old baby. Photo / File

A Taranaki mother has been found guilty of the manslaughter of her six-week-old baby.

The 39-year-old woman fell asleep smothering her baby while breastfeeding her, after consuming alcohol and prescription medication in February last year.

Defence lawyer Susan Hughes QC had argued the woman had fallen asleep due to extreme fatigue and pneumonia, making the baby's death an accident and not a criminal act.

However the jury of six women and six men found her guilty.

Due to an application by the woman's lawyer, no conviction has been entered.