Rania Whare charged with manslaughter after boy's drowning at Westshore Beach, Napier
Rania Whare, 64, has been charged with manslaughter following the drowning death of a 5-year-old boy at a Napier beach in February. The case is proceeding to the High Court after an extensive police investigation.
Why it matters
The legal proceedings highlight the gravity of child safety incidents and the judicial process involved in determining criminal liability in accidental deaths.
Police say a decision to charge a woman with manslaughter after a child died at a Napier beach "wasn't taken lightly".
The woman appeared in the Napier District Court on Wednesday in relation to the death of the 5-year-old boy on February 5.
Emergency services were called after a body was spotted in the water that day about 8.30pm.
The boy's body was eventually found in the early hours of February 6 after a large late-night search involving police, the Coastguard, and Surf Life Saving.
Police later made an appeal for people who might have seen an unattended child on the beach.
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