Police hand Lachlan Jones reinvestigation file to coroner

Author: RNZ,
Publish Date: Tue, 25 Aug 2026, 1:14pm

Lachlan Jones death: Police reinvestigation findings handed to coroner. Photo / File

By Katie Todd of RNZ

The results of a police reinvestigation into the death of Southland toddler Lachlan Jones have been handed to the coroner.

Police were directed to carry out a “full and fresh investigation” into the case last year, following two investigations that concluded the 3-year-old had mistakenly drowned.

In June 2025, a coroner found Lachlan most likely fled home and accessed the pond himself but said he could not rule out foul play, and the initial two police investigations had left a multitude of unanswered questions.

Alexander Ho told police to report back by mid-January and also pass the findings to the Independent Police Conduct Authority and the New Zealand Medical Council.

In a statement, Territorial Detective Superintendent Ross McKay confirmed that had happened but declined to comment on when the findings would be made public.

“Police has provided all documents to the Coroner as requested,” he said.

“Any further comment will come from the Coroners Court.”

A Coroners Court spokesperson declined to say whether the reinvestigation had produced new evidence, or exactly what would happen next.

The coroner was reviewing the file and would “update the parties in due course about next steps”, they said.

Lachlan was found in a council sewage oxidation pond in January 2019.

His father Paul Jones has long disputed the police findings, maintaining that his son was murdered.

Detective Inspector Darrell Harpur from Waikato led the reinvestigation, which was overseen by Detective Superintendent Ross McKay.

- RNZ

This story was first published on rnz.co.nz