Canterbury District Health Board (DHB) has confirmed that the man charged with the murder of Laisa Maraia Waka Tunidau was a current mental health patient.
Canterbury DHB has confirmed the accused man was on leave from the specialist mental health service at Hillmorton Hospital when the incident happened. Photo: RNZ / Logan Church
The victim's name has been corrected in this story.
The 37-year-old man is alleged to have stabbed Tunidau to death outside her Sockburn home on Saturday.
He appeared in court charged with her murder on Monday and was granted interim name suppression.
Canterbury DHB chief executive Peter Bramley said the man was in a specialist mental health service at Hillmorton Hospital and was on community leave when the incident happened.
A full review is being carried out and Bramley assured the public any recommendations made would be acted upon.
Bramley said his thoughts were with Ms Tunidau's family and friends at this very sad time.
