A woman has appeared in the the North Shore district court after a two-year-old was found in a bus luggage compartment. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
A 27-year-old woman has appeared in North Shore District Court charged with ill-treating a child, after a two-year-old was found in a bag in a bus luggage compartment.
The toddler was discovered early Sunday afternoon by a driver of an InterCity bus from Whangārei to Auckland.
Police were called at 12.50pm after a passenger asked for access to the luggage compartment during a planned stop in Kaiwaka, Northland.
The child had been in the suitcase for nearly an hour wearing only a nappy, RNZ understands.
She was taken to hospital in a "minor" condition for an extensive medical assessment.
The bus had stopped at this Kaiwaka carpark leading to the Tulip Cafe, Motel. Photo: Kim Baker Wilson / RNZ
Police have since confirmed the child is medically well, and they are working to ensure she is cared for.
Earlier in the charge document, police said the child had likely suffered adverse affects to health including suffocation, dehydration, carbon monoxide poisoning, heat exhaustion and psychological trauma.
The actions were a "major departure from the standard of care expected of a reasonable person", the charge said.
The woman entered no plea through her lawyer.
She was calm as she appeared in the dock wearing a light coloured hoodie, her hair in a low bun.
She turned away as media were granted permission to film her, however any details identifying her are suppressed for now.
She will be seen by a forensic psychology team before another appearance later this week.
Waitematā Police acting detective inspector Simon Harrison police said officers were working with the child's whānau and agencies including Oranga Tamariki.
He said their focus was on ensuring the child is well-supported.
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