‘She didn’t care’: Sentence delayed for addict on manslaughter charge

A video of toddler Makavelii Leoni happily interacting with his grandmother brought the woman charged over his fatal overdose to tears during a sentencing hearing in a Cairns Court.

A VIDEO of toddler Makavelii Leoni happily interacting with his grandmother brought the woman charged over his fatal meth overdose to tears during a sentencing hearing in a Cairns Court.

Lina Marie Daley, 23, is charged with the manslaughter of her 13-month-old child Makavelii – who entered cardiac arrest and died on September 24, 2018 – will find out next week how much longer she will spend in jail after Justice Jim Henry delayed imposing a sentence in the Cairns Supreme Court on Monday. 

Lina Daley with her son Makavelii Leoni, who died under tragic circumstances in 2018.

During the hearing Daley was arraigned and pleaded guilty on 20 summary charges that included enter premises and commit indictable offence, unlawful use of motor vehicle, stealing, possess dangerous drugs, common assault, possession of a knife in a public place and failure to appear. Ms Daley pleaded guilty to manslaughter, trafficking methylamphetamine and cannabis on the eve of a trial set to begin in August this year.

Crown prosecutor Nathan Crane told the court Ms Daley was a known drug addict whose methylamphetamine use spiralled out of control when she split up with Makavelii’s father Brendan Leoni.

Forensic police and plain clothes detectives investigate the death of Makavelii Leoni. Leoni's mother Lina Daley helps police with their investigations. Picture: Brendan Radke.

Moving in with new boyfriend Michael Yeatman to a house in White Rock Mr Crane told the court efforts to protect Makavelii and his older brother from inhaling passive methamphetamine smoke ceased.

The video was used as Crown evidence to show Makavelii was learning to walk. “(Ms Daley) had methylamphetamine and used (it) in that room with a child that was mobile and chewing things that he found,” Mr Crane told the court.

Methamphetamines and paracetamol were detected in the child’s vomit and analysis of Makavelii’s body revealed 43 injuries.

“The methamphetamine was said to be in fatal range if consumed by an adult,” Mr Crane said.

Medical experts could not tell how the drugs were ingested but Mr Crane submitted eating the fatal dose was most likely.

The court heard the toddler would have experienced a state of high agitation before death.

“He had to have suffered before he died or before his fatal response in the bath,” Mr Crane said.

“(Daley was) brazen to have that quantity of methamphetamine to the point where she simply didn’t care.”

Sentencing will resume on October 28, at 11am.

Originally published as ‘She didn’t care’: Sentence delayed for addict on manslaughter charge