Murder trial overturned: mother on trial for killing toddler cuts monitoring bracelet and is on the run

A mother who was due to stand trial this week for the murder of her young son cut off her electronic monitoring bracelet and is on the run.

Southern Thompson is accused of killing Comfort Joy Thompson-Pene between July 20 and 23, 2018 in Tirau.

He faces four counts in total, including murder, injuring the child with intent to injure, and two counts of mistreating a child.

The 18-month-old boy died at Waikato Hospital on July 24, 2018.

Thompson was due to be tried in Rotorua High Court this week. The trial was supposed to start on Tuesday, but it has been delayed every day until today.

Judge Tracey Walker told the jury panel this morning that they were no longer needed.

She informed the court that Thompson had cut her electronic monitoring and now the police were looking for her.

He said that while some jury trials could continue without defendants, this was not one of them and he overturned the trial. He said a new trial date would be set once Thompson was found.

“And she will be located,” Judge Walker told the jury panel.

Crown Attorney Amanda Gordon said after the court hearing that Thompson’s bracelet was removed Thursday night last week.

He said it was frustrating that the trials were postponed because it cost so much. He said that in this case there were several expert medical witnesses who had “put their lives on hold” by canceling the clinics to be in court this week.

Thompson was charged with the boy’s murder in November 2019.