Editorial: Mother failed in her duty

It's hard to imagine Lisa Kuka could have been released from jail this week.

The 40-year-old, who is behind bars for the manslaughter of her daughter, 3-year-old Nia Glassie, has applied for and been denied parole. Kuka was jailed for nine years in February 2009.

In releasing its decision, the parole board said Kuka remained an undue risk to the safety of the community.

While she had been a "compliant" prisoner, it seems it has taken her a long time to come to terms with her responsibility for the death of her daughter.

The board said Kuka had received counselling and had "started to come to terms with her role in this persistent and violent abuse, and ultimate death of Nia Glassie".

Most New Zealanders who know the circumstances around this case know all too well Kuka's shocking mothering skills played a big part in this little girl's death.

If she had taken greater care about whom she left her baby with while she worked, Nia could have been alive today.

Kuka was also neglectful at the time of Nia's fatal injuries - despite her little girl being unconscious for hours on end, she never took her to hospital to get help - which medical experts said could have saved her life.

The parole board is at times slammed for releasing prisoners too soon. This time around, they deserve credit.

If Kuka had been released on parole, there would have been a national outcry.

She is eligible to apply for parole again in another year. Time will tell if she gets it but in my view, anything less than serving her full sentence would be an injustice for Nia.