Antony Herewini Christensen

Claudine Michelle Herewini appeared in Whanganui High Court this morning and was sentenced to four years and eleven months in jail for killing her son on December 7 last year. Antony Christensen was found dead by a family member at his Raetihi home north of Whanganui as a result of an overdose of prescription medicines. The 42-year-old pleaded guilty to supplying or administering Antony with methadone, a class B controlled drug, last year after he complained of stomach pains. In sentencing, Justice Ron Young said Herewini was heavily intoxicated at the time, depressed, in an abusive relationship and struggling to care for her four children. Herewini's lawyer said she was deeply remorseful. Methadone is often used as a replacement for people addicted to opiates such as heroin. Source: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/methadone-mum-jailed-ov...

Claudine Michelle Herewini gave her son a lethal dose of methadone after he complained of a sore stomach, the High Court in Wanganui has heard. Yesterday the 42-year-old smiled and blew kisses to her family as she was sentenced to four years and 11 months in prison for the manslaughter of her 9-year-old son Antony Christensen. Herewini was a long-time user of prescription pain killers, battled depression and was intoxicated the night her son died. Antony returned home in Raetihi on December 7, 2012 complaining of a sore stomach so Herewini gave her son her pain relief which included methadone and codeine. Later that evening Antony called 111 and said his mother had given him some pills. Ambulance staff attended and spoke to Antony and decided no further treatment was required. Judge Young said it was unclear ambulance staff had received the message that Antony had taken pills. Herewini had friends over that night, smoked cannabis and was already intoxicated. She slept beside Antony but when she woke he was unconscious and unresponsive. Ambulance staff were called and performed CPR. "But Antony was dead," Justice Young told the court. The post-mortem revealed high levels of methadone in Antony's blood. Herewini initially said Antony must have got the pills himself. As a mother she was in a position of trust, he said. "Instead of caring for this child, you played a part in his death. "You had the responsibility of looking after a young child but you could not possibly have carried out that responsibility when you were intoxicated," Justice Young said. "You then tried to lie and put the blame on your child. There is little about this case to admire." Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/whanganui-chronicle/news/mother-was-depr...