Woman in court charged over boy’s death in driveway on New Year’s Day

The woman appeared in the Gore District Court on Wednesday. Photo / Ben Tomsett

A 30-year-old woman has appeared in court charged with dangerous driving causing the death of a young child.

The boy died at Gore Hospital several hours after being struck by a reversing vehicle in a driveway on New Year’s Day.

The child’s younger brother, as well as the woman, was also injured.

The woman, who has interim name suppression, made her first appearance at Gore District Court before Judge Michelle Duggan this morning.

She wore a white gown and headband, and removed gumboots to stand in socks in the dock.

She was supported by family in the public gallery.

According to charging documents, police allege that at 6pm on January 1, the woman drove a motor vehicle in a manner dangerous to all the circumstances of the case, causing the child’s death.

The woman appeared in the Gore District Court on Wednesday. Photo / Ben Tomsett

She is also charged with dangerous driving causing injury to another child.

The woman’s defence counsel Roger Eagles entered not guilty pleas to both charges.

The maximum penalties are 10 years’ imprisonment or a $20,000 fine for the death charge, and five years’ imprisonment or a $20,000 fine for the injury charge.

Eagles told Judge Duggan that his client had elected a trial by jury.

The woman will appear in court on November 5 for a case review hearing.

Ben Tomsett is a multimedia journalist based in Dunedin. He joined the Herald in 2023.