Louwanna Thyra Goltz has murder charge downgraded in Rockhampton court

A Queensland mother who witnesses say heard a voice telling her to kill her son, has had a murder charge against her downgraded. LATEST

Louwanna Thyra Goltz and Zion Ziggy Sean Ross.

A woman accused of killing her son has had her murder charge downgraded.

Louwanna Thyra Goltz, 38, was charged with murder over the death of Zion Ziggy Sean Goltz at their Waterloo Street, Berserker residence in July 2022.

Ms Goltz has not entered a plea.

During a mention of Ms Goltz’s matter on September 12, police prosecutor Clancy Fox replaced her murder charge with a single count of manslaughter.

Acting Magistrate Paul Byrne discharged the murder charge.

Defence lawyer Pierre Lammersdorf asked for Ms Goltz’s matter to be adjourned for three to four weeks.

“We are awaiting the finalisation of the brief of evidence,” he said.

Mr Byrne adjourned Ms Goltz’s matter to October 2.

Defence lawyer Ashley Reynolds had advised Rockhampton Magistrates Court during a mention of Ms Goltz’s matter on August 28 that there was a “substitute charge” coming and that Ms Goltz needed to be before the court for the process to take place.

She said there was also material needing to come by Australia Post from Mackay for the process.

In an objection to bail affidavit by police viewed by this publication shortly after Zion’s death, it was alleged Ms Goltz turned up on the doorstep of family members in Parkhurst at 1am on July 30, allegedly “rambling incoherently about spirits and referencing a covered artist’s canvas” she had with her.

According to the court documents, one of the witnesses told police Ms Goltz allegedly told her she had been lying down with Zion watching television and a voice told her to kill him “because child safety would take him away and she herself would end up in a body bag”.

Police attended the Waterloo Street unit Ms Goltz shared with her son to perform a welfare check about 2.20am on Saturday, July 30, and officers found the eight-year-old boy unresponsive.

The court documents state it appeared Zion had died by alleged strangulation and an autopsy would provide further information.

Police alleged Ms Goltz’s mental health had “rapidly declined” in the month before the tragedy “and alarmingly quickly within the last week”.

The court documents state family and witnesses told police they had allegedly heard Ms Goltz yelling incoherently over the past month, particularly when she had been under the influence.

The court documents also state neighbours reported hearing her speaking in an unknown language and screaming “f--k off” over the previous two weeks.

Ms Goltz was remanded in custody at Brisbane Women’s Correctional Centre.

Originally published as Louwanna Thyra Goltz has murder charge downgraded in Rockhampton court