Mum who abused, neglected then murdered her own daughter can now be named

Thursday, 7 July 2022

Southern Cheyenne Thompson pictured at a court appearance in 2018, the same year her daughter Comfort Jay Thompson-Pene died from head injuries due to blunt force trauma.

The woman jailed for a minimum of 17 years for the murder of her 18-month-old daughter, who was left with “bruising to almost every part of her body”, can now be named as Southern Thompson.

Thompson was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years back in May this year after earlier pleading guilty to charges of murder, injuring with intent to injure and failing to seek medical care.

A last minute request for name suppression by defence lawyer Susan Gray at sentencing, citing “vitriol on social media”, was rejected by Justice Graham Lang, but immediately appealed.

That appeal has now been abandoned, meaning Stuff can name Thompson for the first time.

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Thompson was originally set to stand trial in February 2021, but she cut off her electronic monitoring bracelet and went on the run before being located in Hamilton.

The police summary of facts included numerous disturbing details about Comfort’s short life in Tīrau, including the fact that by the time she died she had one tooth that had been knocked out by blunt force trauma, a collarbone fracture and nappy rash so severe she had “large areas of skin peeling from her buttocks”.

“Southern Thompson would hit Comfort Jay on a regular basis,” it said.

“These assaults were primarily to her head and face, but also to her body. Comfort Jay had been seen by a number of people with two black eyes. She was also seen with a cut lip as a result of being hit in the face.”

She would also scratch her daughter “regularly over her body”.

Southern Thompson was jailed for life with a minimum period of 17 years at the High Court in Rotorua back in May.

Comfort-Jay was also found to have a torn frenula injury “generally caused as a result of a forcible impact, such as a blow to the face” and a healing fracture to her collarbone.

“[A] significant break that was clearly visible to the naked eye, due to one of the bones protruding just below the skin,” the summary said.

“It would have been immediately noticeable to the defendant on a regular basis. The complainant would have been in significant pain.

“At no stage did the defendant seek any medical care for Comfort-Jay for this fracture.”

Justice Lang said a post-mortem found “extensive soft tissue brushing to almost every part of her body”.

An autopsy concluded she died from head injuries due to blunt force trauma.

The summary also revealed Thompson called Healthline to say her daughter was unresponsive, being told it was “very urgent” she was seen by medical professionals.

“The nurse made two offers to call an ambulance, but both were declined,” the summary said.

“Two hours later … the defendant placed a call to 111 requesting an ambulance.”

The ambulance officer believed the toddler was already dead and noted she wore just a small skivvy in the very cold house.

They also noted Thompson “being quite detached and more interested in returning the phone she had borrowed, than how seriously ill Comfort-Jay was”.

The toddler was transported by air ambulance to Waikato Hospital and placed on life support, before specialists from Waikato and Starship Hospital found she had sustained “an irreversible brain injury which was not survivable”.

“Around 10am on Tuesday 24 July, [her] life support machine was switched off and she passed away shortly afterwards.”

As well as the assaults, the subsequent police investigation uncovered the toddler was also subject to ongoing neglect.

She was malnourished, confined to a room for hours at a time and also had an ulcer under her chin, most likely caused by dribbling.

It was described as “large and raw”.

“Regular bathing and cleaning of Comfort-Jay would have properly dealt with the issue,” the summary said.

Their residence was also described as being in a “dreadful state”.

Cold, damp, broken windows, no working lightbulbs, old and rotting food on the floor of the living area as well as dirty nappies and “a mouldy bowl of noodles infested with maggots on the kitchen bench”.

“Cannabis and alcohol cans were found in various locations around the house.”

While Thompson admitted assaulting her daughter on the day she finally sought medical attention for her, she denied any assaults to her head.

“The only explanation given was that Comfort-Jay had fallen down two concrete stairs on Saturday afternoon,” the summary said.