Mum back in court after Christchurch children found alone in smoke-filled house

Firefighters were called after a smoke alarm sounded at an Aranui property in Christchurch.

A woman facing criminal charges after children were found alone in a smoke-filled Christchurch home has appeared in court for a second time.

Anneke Topia, 35, was charged with ill-treatment of a child, resisting police, and possession of a cannabis plant after the youngsters were discovered alone at an Aranui house earlier this month.

Emergency services were called to a smoke alarm sounding at a Eureka St property about 10pm on July 10.

She appeared before Judge Deirdre Orchard in the Christchurch District Court this afternoon and was remanded on bail for three weeks. Topia has not yet entered a plea.

One of her bail conditions is she cannot make contact with the children.

She is due to return to court on August 21.

A Eureka St resident, who did not want to be named, said she heard the fire alarms and panicked.

“Myself and another neighbour went over to check what was going on.

“We tried to get into the house, but all the curtains were shut and doors closed. We had no idea if the kids were in there.

“I called Fenz [Fire and Emergency NZ] because no one else seemed to react.”

The woman said the alarm kept going off and she became concerned.

“It’s just awful. Those kids are just babies, you don’t leave your kids alone at home, you just don’t do it,” she said.

Fenz communications shift manager Blair Walklin said crews noticed “a smell of burnt cooking on arrival”.

“We found unattended cooking inside the house.”

Police thanked neighbours who called for help and prevented a tragic outcome.