Mentally compromised Waikato woman set fire to unit and fled as kids watched TV nearby
A 21-year-old woman has been sentenced to prison for setting fire to a home while two toddlers were nearby. The judge expressed reluctance to imprison the defendant, citing her mental health struggles and addiction, but deemed it necessary for her safety and potential rehabilitation.
Why it matters
The case underscores the ongoing debate regarding the efficacy of the prison system in handling individuals with complex mental health and addiction issues.
Two toddlers watching television just metres from a deliberately lit fire were saved only because their mother returned home from a night out minutes after the blaze began.
Desiree Hirawani, now 21, who lit the fire and fled, leaving the children behind, has now been sent to prison.
But Judge Glen Marshall made that decision with little enthusiasm.
He found Hirawani, who is mentally compromised and struggling with addiction, did not belong behind bars. However, he concluded she was probably safer in prison than on the street using methamphetamine and hoped the sentence would lead to treatment.
Defence lawyer Nadine Baier argued strongly against imprisonment.
"It is with a great deal of reluctance that I am going to impose a sentence of imprisonment today," Judge Marshall told her, before explaining that he would grant her leave to apply for home detention, should a bed become available in a rehabilitation facility.
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