Woman faces manslaughter charge after boy drowns at beach

Police say a decision to charge a woman with manslaughter after a child died at a Napier beach “wasn’t taken lightly”.

The woman appeared in the Napier District Court today in relation to the death of the 5-year-old boy on February 5.

Emergency services were called after a body was spotted in the water that day about 8.30pm.

The boy’s body was eventually found in the early hours of February 6 after a large late-night search involving police, the Coastguard, and Surf Lifesaving.

Police later made an appeal for people who might have seen an unattended child on the beach.

The woman charged was identified in court documents as Rania Whare, 64. The court’s registry confirmed name suppression had not been sought.

Whare was remanded to appear next in the High Court on October 16.

Police said they conducted an “extensive and careful investigation” which led to charging the woman with manslaughter.

Detective Sergeant Kate Hyde said the investigation was treated with sensitivity and the decision to lay charges wasn’t taken lightly.

“This was a tragic event for our community, and our thoughts are with the young boy’s family at this troubling and difficult time,” Hyde said.

Ric Stevens spent many years working for the former New Zealand Press Association news agency, including as a political reporter at Parliament, before holding senior positions at various daily newspapers. He joined NZME’s Open Justice team in 2022 and is based in Hawke’s Bay. His writing in the crime and justice sphere is informed by four years of frontline experience as a probation officer.