Hezekiah Hadrin Carpenter

Hezekiah Hadrin Carpenter suffered multiple injuries – including bruising, a skull fracture and multiple rib fractures – and had THC, the active ingredient in cannabis, in his system when he died. His death was found to be due to chest trauma, which caused the heart to go into an abnormal rhythm and cause the brain to swell. Initially, Hezekiah’s Whangārei-born father, Fabrice John Carpenter​, was charged with his assault, then his murder. But a month after his death, the murder charge against the father was withdrawn and placed on Hezekiah’s Samoan-born mother, Osana Sialeipata​. Carpenter was discharged without conviction in June 2020, after spending a month in prison believing his actions led to the baby’s death. The murder charge was later withdrawn entirely, as Sialeipata’s actions could not be linked to the baby’s death. Hezekiah was found to have received multiple injuries before his death, including a skull fracture, fractured ribs, damage to the junction between the ribs and the cartilage, and numerous bruises. Justice Gerard van Bohemen​​​ found Sialeipata guilty of failing to protect the baby from injury or seek care for him. He also found beyond reasonable doubt that she assaulted Hezekiah by delivering a non-fatal blow to his head with a shower head. He found her not guilty on four other charges. Sialeipata was sentenced to 10 months’ home detention in April. Police continue to treat Hezekiah’s death as an active and ongoing investigation, said Northland district crime manager Detective Inspector Dene Begbie. Source: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/125351019/police-vow-to-seek...

Sources

1. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/124370918/woman-found-guilty...
2. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/125351019/police-vow-to-seek...