8 Nov 2022

Woman pleads guilty to concealing body of baby found dead at Middlemore Hospital

12:47 pm on 8 November 2022

By Melanie Earley of Stuff

A healthcare worker from Middlemore Hospital’s emergency department says the number of staff being scratched from rosters daily is a serious concern as it is already under serious pressure due to staffing shortages.

The body of a baby was found at Middlemore Hospital in August 2021. File image. Photo: LDR / Stephen Forbes

A woman charged after a baby was found dead at Auckland's Middlemore Hospital has pleaded guilty to a charge of concealing the body.

The 28-year-old, who has interim name suppression, appeared in Manukau District Court today in front of Judge David McNaughton.

She has been charged with concealing the body of a child after a baby was found dead on 4 August 2021.

When the baby died, Counties Manukau detective senior sergeant Mike Hayward said the death was unexplained.

Police were doing a post-mortem examination to establish how the child died.

Police were "working closely" with the mother of the child and her family, with the family helping police, he said at the time.

The woman was scheduled to next appear in court in February 2023.

- This story originally appeared on Stuff.