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Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Mother denies murdering Tīrau toddler Comfort Joy Thompson-Pene

Samantha Olley
By Samantha Olley
Rotorua Daily Post·
5 Dec, 2019 10:21 PMQuick Read

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Southern Cheyenne Thompson in the High Court at Rotorua. Photo / Stephen Parker

Southern Cheyenne Thompson in the High Court at Rotorua. Photo / Stephen Parker

A mother has denied murdering her toddler in Tīrau.

Southern Cheyenne Thompson, 26, is accused of killing Comfort Joy Thompson-Pene, also known as Comfort Joy Witeri-Thompson, between July 20 and July 23 last year.

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The 18-month-old died in Waikato Hospital on July 24.

Thompson appeared in the High Court at Rotorua before Justice Graham Lang this morning.

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Last year Thompson pleaded not guilty to two charges relating to her late daughter Comfort.

They were injuring with intent between March 1 and July 10 and failing to seek medical care, causing extreme pain, on July 21.

She was awaiting a jury trial before Taupō police additionally charged her with murder last month.

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Thompson's new trial date has been set down for February 9, 2021, and is expected to take three weeks.

She was remanded on bail until a pre-trial callover on March 6.

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Court documents say she now lives in Hamilton.

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