NSW Police charge alleged unregistered midwives over baby’s death following Karangi home birth

Two women accused of operating as unregistered midwives have been charged with manslaughter after a baby died following a home birth in northern NSW.

A generic photo of a baby, who is not the newborn referred to in this article.

Two women accused of operating as unregistered midwives have been charged with manslaughter after a baby died following a home birth in northern NSW.

On Wednesday night, police revealed emergency services had been called to a home at Karangi, northwest of Coffs Harbour, in September 2022.

Paramedics treated an unresponsive newborn boy at the scene before he was airlifted to Coffs Base Hospital, where he later died.

On February 11, after nearly two-and-a-half years of investigations, detectives arrested a 41-year-old woman at Crescent Head, near Port Macquarie.

They also took a 51-year-old woman into custody at Dorrigo, west of Coffs Harbour.

“Police will allege in court the younger woman was an unregistered midwife at the time of the birth, while the older woman held no medical qualifications and had been practising unregistered home-birth midwifery,” NSW Police said in a statement.

Both women were charged with manslaughter and granted bail to face Coffs Harbour Local Court on Wednesday.

They are due back in court on May 13.