Dad charged with murdering 5-week-old son (Auckland, New Zealand)

Dad ADAM CHRISTOPER LOCK was babysitting when he either shook the baby or knocked his head against some object. The baby later died at the hospital after being taken off life support.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10588559

Father in court accused of murdering 5-week-old son

4:00AM Tuesday Aug 04, 2009

Shannel Tate wore a hoodie dedicated to her baby and wept when the boy's father appeared in Taupo District Court yesterday charged with his murder.

Adam Christopher Lock, 21, faced a depositions hearing, accused of murdering 5-week-old JayRhis Ian te Koha Lock-Tata in March.

He also faced two charges of assaulting a female.

JayRhis died in the Starship hospital in Auckland on March 7, after being admitted in critical condition from Taupo Hospital two days earlier.

Ms Tate - whose top was embroidered "In Loving Memory of JayRhis 30/01/09 to 07/03/09" - has had two children with Lock, and has a son from a previous relationship.

Crown prosecutor Fletcher Pilditch told the court Lock assaulted JayRhis after being left alone for a short time with him at the family's Tonga St home.

The boy suffered severe injuries - possibly from being shaken or his head being knocked against an object.

Resuscitation efforts by ambulance staff and at Taupo Hospital failed to revive him, and CPR was stopped after one hour.

JayRhis then started to breath spontaneously and resuscitation was restarted.

He was transferred to the Starship, where he died two days later after being taken off life support.

Ms Tate described how she had come home to find ambulance officers in her bedroom trying to resuscitate her baby, who was lying unresponsive on the floor.

She said that she had left the house for a short time and was at a neighbour's.

She had rushed home when she saw an ambulance at the house.

JayRhis had been asleep when she left, she said.

Lock told her that he didn't know what had happened to the baby.

Ms Tate said Lock had tried to administer CPR to JayRhis.

She travelled with JayRhis in the ambulance to Taupo Hospital and later flew with him to the Starship.

Part of her evidence yesterday was suppressed.

The case continues today.

- NZPA