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Woman Pleads Not Guilty To Charges Of Neglect After Death Of Baby Kevin Chen
Adam Burns, Reporter
A 37-year-old woman has denied charges of neglect and possession of a drug utensil, following the death of a young infant in north Canterbury last year.
Yixia Chen appeared in the Christchurch District Court on Tuesday, in front of Judge Michael Crosbie.
She was granted interim name suppression following her initial court dates in early December, however, this has now lapsed.
Chen has pleaded not guilty to two charges, one of neglect and the other of possession of a glass methamphetamine pipe.
She was remanded on bail ahead of a scheduled case review hearing on 17 March.
Police were called to an address in Oxford, in the Waimakariri district, on the afternoon of 5 August 2024 after the baby, Kevin Chen, died.
In November, police told RNZ the death was not being treated as suspicious.
A month later a police spokesperson confirmed baby Kevin's death remained "unexplained".
Chen was charged on 3 December.
"A scene examination and a post-mortem examination has since been completed, and subsequent enquiries have led police to laying charges of ill-treatment of a child under 18," a police spokesperson said at the time.
Court documents showed police alleged the neglect took place between 4 May and the date of the infant's death.
Failure to provide basic care likely leading to death is punishable by a maximum of 10 years' jail.
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