Trent James Matthews

Killed by foster mother Sasha Viyani Pene. Trent was put into the care of his uncle Joe Matthews and partner Sasha by Child, Youth and Family at the age of five months. Sasha assaulted Trent a number of times in the six weeks before his death, inflicting a broken arm, bruising and scrapes to his body. She was wearing a metal splint on her hand when she hit Trent on the head three or four times and shook him because he was crying. Trent suffered spinal cord concussion and had difficulty breathing, which led to brain damage. He died while lying on a mattress on the living room floor of their Edmund Road home in Rotorua. Source: https://debbiemccauleyauthor.wordpress.com/biographies/new-zealand-....

May 2009: Trent James Matthews was put into the care of Sasha Pene by Child Youth and Family. Seven months later he was dead. She assaulted him a number of times in the six weeks before his death, caused by hitting him over the head while wearing a metal splint on her hand for an injury. The 1-year-old died on a mattress in Pene's living room from a lack of oxygen, the result of his spinal cord becoming constricted. Pene pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/61-little-names-on-new-zealands-roll-...

Sasha Viyani Pene, 29, appeared in the Rotorua District Court on Saturday charged with assaulting a child, Trent James Matthews, a day after paramedics found him dead in a makeshift bed in the lounge. Trent was in the care of his uncle Joe Matthews and Ms Pene, his partner, who have two other children, aged 7 and 1, living with them in the Edmund Rd home. He was taken to Kaitaia, where it is understood he will be buried today. Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/police-await-results-in-baby-death-ca...

Sources

1. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4046056/Baby-killer-sent-to-jail-i...