Autopsy to confirm cause of baby's death | Rotorua News | Local News in Rotorua
Autopsy to confirm cause of baby's death
A woman carries away the brother of a baby girl who died in a Taharangi St flat. PICTURE: (011204aw7)
By KELLY BLANCHARD in Rotorua
An autopsy today will reveal the cause of death of a three-month-old baby girl found dead in a Taharangi St flat in Rotorua.
Screams were heard from the flat just before 2pm yesterday, terrifying neighbours who originally thought a domestic fight had broken out.
The father of the baby was seen by neighbours to have blood all over his face and the baby's mother was screaming. But police say the father's injuries were unrelated to the baby's death and cot death has not yet been ruled out.
Detective Senior Sergeant Garth Bryan said police were still investigating the cause of the baby's death. An autopsy was to be carried out in Auckland today.
Mr Bryan said police had been called to the address earlier yesterday morning to attend a domestic dispute at a neighbouring flat. He said the domestic dispute at the neighbouring flat was unrelated to the baby's death.
A neighbour tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate the baby when the parents noticed she had stopped breathing, Mr Bryan said.
The baby's father was bleeding from a wound on his head that was unrelated to the cause of the baby's death.
"It has been reported to us by several witnesses that it was a result of an unrelated accident."
He said the baby's parents and family had been co-operative with police and last night stayed with relatives.
Meanwhile, Taharangi St residents were in shock yesterday and were confused about what had happened.
Monica Birch said she was "sound asleep" when she was woken by the screams from the flat.
"There was a lot of screaming and yelling and a woman was screaming."
Bub Ngatai, who lives only three doors down from the flat, said she saw people trying to resuscitate the baby on the front lawn of the neighbouring house.
"I heard all the yelling and thought it was just another domestic but then I saw the baby on the ground. You don't expect things like that right outside your door."
An autopsy today will reveal the cause of death of a three-month-old baby girl found dead in a Taharangi St flat in Rotorua.
Screams were heard from the flat just before 2pm yesterday, terrifying neighbours who originally thought a domestic fight had broken out.
The father of the baby was seen by neighbours to have blood all over his face and the baby's mother was screaming. But police say the father's injuries were unrelated to the baby's death and cot death has not yet been ruled out.
Detective Senior Sergeant Garth Bryan said police were still investigating the cause of the baby's death. An autopsy was to be carried out in Auckland today.
Mr Bryan said police had been called to the address earlier yesterday morning to attend a domestic dispute at a neighbouring flat. He said the domestic dispute at the neighbouring flat was unrelated to the baby's death.
A neighbour tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate the baby when the parents noticed she had stopped breathing, Mr Bryan said.
The baby's father was bleeding from a wound on his head that was unrelated to the cause of the baby's death.
"It has been reported to us by several witnesses that it was a result of an unrelated accident."
He said the baby's parents and family had been co-operative with police and last night stayed with relatives.
Meanwhile, Taharangi St residents were in shock yesterday and were confused about what had happened.
Monica Birch said she was "sound asleep" when she was woken by the screams from the flat.
"There was a lot of screaming and yelling and a woman was screaming."
Bub Ngatai, who lives only three doors down from the flat, said she saw people trying to resuscitate the baby on the front lawn of the neighbouring house.
"I heard all the yelling and thought it was just another domestic but then I saw the baby on the ground. You don't expect things like that right outside your door."
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