Two women are facing manslaughter charges linked to a tragic home birth incident on a property north-west of Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, that occurred several years ago. Emergency services were summoned to a residence in Karangi on September 11, 2022, when a newborn boy was found unresponsive shortly after birth. Paramedics provided immediate assistance before the infant was transported by air to a hospital, where he unfortunately later passed away.
On February 11 of this year, police apprehended a 41-year-old woman in Crescent Head and a 51-year-old woman in Dorrigo. Both were charged with manslaughter, subsequently granted bail, and appeared in court yesterday, where the case was postponed until May 13.
Authorities claim that the younger woman operated as an unregistered midwife during the home birth, while the older woman lacked any medical credentials and had been practising midwifery without registration. The circumstances surrounding the birth and subsequent death of the child have raised serious concerns about the practices involved in unregulated home births.