Sisters in court in relation to death of 5-year-old boy in Tauranga

Thursday, 18 November 2021

Two sisters, Michaela Barriball and Sharron Barriball, have appeared in court in relation to the death of 5-year-old Malachi Subecz in Tauranga.

Subecz was found with injuries at a Te Puna property on November 1 and was treated in Tauranga Hospital, police say.

He was later airlifted to Starship Hospital in Auckland, where he died on November 12.

Michaela Barriball, a 27-year-old from Te Puna, appeared in Tauranga District Court on Thursday charged with ill-treatment of a child.

Judge John Macdonald dismissed an application for interim name suppression.

Sharron Barriball, a 37-year-old from Tauranga, also appeared in court on Thursday, charged with wilfully attempting to pervert the course of justice, by messaging family members directing them to remove items from a scene about to be searched by police.

Her interim name suppression lapsed.

Both women have been remanded in custody.

They first appeared in court on Wednesday.

Tauranga Police say a homicide investigation is ongoing.