Wellington baby's cause of death may not be known for months, coroner to investigate
Thursday, 8 April 2021
It could be months before it is known how a baby died at a Wellington emergency housing accommodation provider.
On Wednesday morning, the baby’s mother approached Wellington City Mission staff at The Setup on Manners in central Wellington with concerns about the health of her baby.
City Missioner Murray Edridge said when staff arrived the baby was not able to be resuscitated and emergency services were called.
Later that day, Detective Sergeant Steve Wescott said the death was being treated as unexplained and an autopsy would take place.
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On Thursday, police said suspicious circumstances had been ruled out and the case had been referred to the coroner, who would determine the cause of the baby's death.
Coronial inquiries can often take several months and, if the coroner decides an inquest is needed, the process could take years.
The baby's death has renewed concerns regarding support available to emergency housing clients.
Previously, Wellington Central MP Grant Robertson said clients in emergency housing might not automatically qualify or receive the support services offered, and that he was working with his colleagues in Government to ensure support was offered at the “right time and place”.
Edridge said the mission operated on one level of The Set Up, with transitional housing clients.
He said staff often found themselves also providing support to Ministry of Social Development emergency housing clients in the accommodation.
“We do provide a lot of support by virtue of being a good neighbour,” he said.
Edridge described the emergency housing model as “problematic”.
“It’s a crisis response. You can’t keep on that and not do something to change the predicament,” he said.
City councillor Teri O’Neill, who holds the homelessness portfolio, said emergency housing was essential during Covid-19, but the model was “incredibly unsustainable”.
“Wellington City Council representatives and officers have been working with MSD and other support providers in communicating to people like the ministers that this is something that is in dire need of investment.”
MSD regional commissioner Gagau Annandale-Stone said it was very conscious that those in emergency housing may need additional wrap-around support, which MSD provided.
”We are in contact with clients and work with them to identify where we can provide extra help and refer them to specialist support.
“We face high and ongoing demand for emergency housing, and we are committed to ensuring that people who come to us in urgent need have somewhere to stay. We continue to work with partner agencies, including the WCC and the WCM, on how to improve our support for those in emergency housing,” she said.