Man pleads not guilty to killing son

10:28 am on 28 October 2020

A man accused of killing a 10-month-old baby boy in Manurewa last month has pleaded not guilty.

18072016 Photo: Rebekah Parsons-King. Wellington High Court.

Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King

Poseidyn Hemopo-Pickering was taken from a house in Manurewa to Starship Children's Hospital on 5 September but died the next day.

The baby's father Anthony Simon Pickering was charged with manslaughter on 26 September.

Pickering pleaded not guilty to the charge before Justice Venning in the High Court at Auckland this morning.

He had been granted interim name suppression but his defence lawyer Quentin Duff told the court today there were no grounds to argue for continued suppression.

One supporter sitting in the public gallery called out "love you" as the defendant was taken back to the cells.

He will go to trial on 11 October 2021.