Bodies-in-suitcases suspect appears in New Zealand court
A woman, centre, leaves to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office at Ulsan Jungbu police station in Ulsan, South Korea, on Sept. 15, 2022. (Bae Byung-soo / Newsis via AP)
WELLINGTON, New Zealand -
A woman who was extradited from South Korea this week after the bodies of her two children were found in abandoned suitcases made her first court appearance in New Zealand on Wednesday.
The 42-year-old woman has been charged with two counts of murder. She was not required to enter a plea during the brief procedural hearing at the Manukau District Court.
The judge imposed a temporary order that keeps many details of the case secret, including the names of the woman and the victims. The judge allowed it to be reported that the suspect was the children's mother, according to The New Zealand Herald.
If found guilty, the woman would face a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment, although she would become eligible for parole after a minimum of 10 years.
In court, the woman wore a tan jacket over a black T-shirt. According to the Herald, the woman, through an interpreter, asked the judge if she could speak with him, before the woman's lawyer stepped in to say it would be better if she didn't, with which the judge agreed.
The woman left the courtroom after less than five minutes and will remain jailed until her next court appearance on Dec. 14.
The case horrified many people in New Zealand after the children's bodies were discovered in August when an Auckland family bought abandoned goods, including two suitcases, from a storage unit in an online auction.
The children were between 5 and 10 years old, had been dead for years, and the suitcases had been in storage in Auckland for at least three or four years, according to New Zealand police.
South Korean police say the woman was born in South Korea and later moved to New Zealand, where she gained citizenship. Immigration records show she returned to South Korea in 2018.
South Korean police first arrested the woman at a southern port city in September. The Seoul High Court then granted approval of her extradition after she expressed her consent in writing to be sent back to New Zealand. Earlier this month, South Korean Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon issued an order for the woman to be extradited.
The woman was handed over to three New Zealand police officers Monday evening at the Incheon International Airport near Seoul. South Korea's Justice Ministry said it also provided New Zealand with unspecified "important evidence" in the case.
"With the extradition, we hope that the truth of the case, which has garnered worldwide attention, will be revealed through the fair and strict judicial process of New Zealand," the ministry said in a statement.
South Korean police had said it was suspected the woman could be the mother of the two victims, as her past address in New Zealand was registered to the storage unit where the suitcases were kept.
New Zealand authorities said the family that ended up purchasing the suitcases and other abandoned storage items had nothing to do with the case.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Family in remote northern Ont. reeling after daughter killed in fire, home destroyed
A family in the remote community of Peawanuck, Ont., is dealing not only with the death of their young daughter, but the loss of everything they owned in a Jan. 28 house fire.
'Laverne & Shirley' actor Cindy Williams dies at 75
Cindy Williams, who was among the most recognizable stars in America in the 1970s and 80s for her role as Shirley opposite Penny Marshall's Laverne on the beloved sitcom 'Laverne & Shirley,' has died, her family said Monday.
Why adding a bit of milk to your morning coffee might be good for you
Adding some milk to your morning coffee may boost the body's anti-inflammatory response, new research out of Denmark shows.
A short-lived 'punch in the face' cold snap is coming for Eastern Canada
The beginning of February is expected to bring Arctic-like temperatures across much of Eastern Canada, thanks to frigid air from the polar vortex. The cold snap will descend on Eastern Canada this week, with temperatures becoming seasonable again on Sunday. In between, much of Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada can expect the coldest days yet this winter.
Late Jean Vanier sexually abused 25 women, says non-profit he founded
A report commissioned by a non-profit organization founded by the late Jean Vanier says the Canadian sexually abused 25 women during his decades with the group.
Girl, 6, dies after T-bar lift incident at Quebec ski resort
A six-year-old girl died in hospital Sunday night after being involved in an incident at the Val-Saint-Côme ski resort in Lanaudiere. Quebec police are investigating, though details into the event are not yet known. Officers indicated that it involved a T-bar lift, but they were not able to say more.
Mindbender roller coaster closed after 37 years at West Edmonton Mall
The Mindbender roller coaster at Galaxyland has been shut down, West Edmonton Mall announced on Monday. The redevelopment of the area is already underway, and the roller coaster is being decommissioned and removed.
Nike sues Lululemon, says footwear infringes patents
Nike sued Lululemon Athletica on Monday, saying that at least four of the Canadian athletic apparel company's footwear products infringe its patents.
'Just incredible': Winnipegger and former teammate remembers Bobby Hull
Without Bobby Hull, the Winnipeg Jets wouldn’t be in the NHL right now. That’s how one of his former teammates feels about the late Jets forward.
Canada
-
Quebec RCMP say they rescued man trying to cross U.S. border on foot through woods
Quebec RCMP say they rescued a man over the weekend who became lost in the woods in heavy snow while trying to cross the border into the United States.
-
B.C. reveals plan for decriminalization of small amounts of drugs for personal use
British Columbia is taking a major step forward in its fight against the province’s deadly overdose crisis by decriminalizing the possession of a small amount of certain illicit drugs for personal use.
-
Family in remote northern Ont. reeling after daughter killed in fire, home destroyed
A family in the remote community of Peawanuck, Ont., is dealing not only with the death of their young daughter, but the loss of everything they owned in a Jan. 28 house fire.
-
Girl, 6, dies after T-bar lift incident at Quebec ski resort
A six-year-old girl died in hospital Sunday night after being involved in an incident at the Val-Saint-Côme ski resort in Lanaudiere. Quebec police are investigating, though details into the event are not yet known. Officers indicated that it involved a T-bar lift, but they were not able to say more.
-
Parks Canada updating its reservation system to book camping and other activities
Parks Canada says visitors will be able to start booking reservations for camping and other activities at its sites across the country in March.
-
Late Jean Vanier sexually abused 25 women, says non-profit he founded
A report commissioned by a non-profit organization founded by the late Jean Vanier says the Canadian sexually abused 25 women during his decades with the group.
World
-
7th Memphis officer disciplined, EMTs fired in Nichols death
Two more Memphis police officers have been disciplined and three emergency responders fired in connection with the death of Tyre Nichols, officials said Monday, widening the circle of punishment for the shocking display of police brutality after video showed many more people failed to help him beyond the five officers accused of beating him to death.
-
What did Alex Murdaugh say about slain son during interview?
Defence attorneys in South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh's double murder trial continued Monday to question the way state agents collected and analyzed evidence in the shooting deaths of Murdaugh's wife and son.
-
Degradation of Amazon rainforest by humans is causing as many carbon emissions as deforestation: study
About a third of the remaining Amazon rainforest has been severely degraded by human activity, and the emissions from this activity are equivalent to or even greater than emissions caused by deforestation, according to a new study
-
Donald Trump investigations: Georgia prosecutor ups anticipation
Former U.S. President Donald Trump and his allies have been put on notice by a prosecutor, but the warning didn't come from anyone at the Justice Department.
-
Smuggler tells U.S. jury he paid off ex-Mexico security chief
Describing meetings at a car wash and a smuggler's country house, a onetime drug trafficker testified Monday that he paid a former cabinet-level Mexican security official millions of dollars for help that included U.S. government information about a huge cocaine shipment in Mexico.
-
Suicide bomber kills 59, wounds over 150 at Pakistan mosque
A suicide bomber struck a crowded mosque inside a police compound in Pakistan on Monday, causing the roof to collapse and killing at least 59 people and wounding more than 150 others, officials said.
Politics
-
Hybrid Parliament should be here to stay, say MPs in new report
The hybrid sitting structure and electronic voting system should become permanent features of the House of Commons, according to a new report from MPs on the Procedure and House Affairs Committee.
-
Health, economy, crime top issues of concern as House of Commons resumes
Members of Parliament returned to Ottawa to resume sitting for the first time in 2023 on Monday, with the state of Canada's health-care system, the health of the Canadian economy, and rates of violent crime in this country all top of mind.
-
No security threat from RCMP's dealings with China-linked firm, minister tells MPs
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino says there is no reason to believe Canada's national security was under threat at any time due to the RCMP's dealings with an Ontario company that has links to China.
Health
-
WHO declares COVID-19 global emergency isn't over. What happens next?
The World Health Organization decided Monday not to end to the COVID-19 global public health emergency it declared three years ago, even though the pandemic has reached what the international body calls an 'inflection point.'
-
All countries 'dangerously unprepared' for future pandemics: report
The world is 'dangerously unprepared' for future pandemics, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) say in a report published on Monday, calling on countries to update their preparedness plans by year-end.
-
New alcohol recommendations could speed up changing drinking habits: businesses
New guidance for drinking alcohol could speed up changing consumer drinking habits as younger generations drink less and non-alcoholic beverages become more popular, advocates and business owners in the beverage industry say.
Sci-Tech
-
China's Baidu to launch ChatGPT-style bot in March: source
Chinese internet search major Baidu Inc is planning to launch an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot service similar to OpenAI's ChatGPT in March, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters.
-
TikTok CEO to testify before U.S. Congress over security concerns
TikTok chief executive Shou Zi Chew will appear before the U.S. Energy and Commerce Committee in March, as lawmakers scrutinize the Chinese-owned video-sharing app.
-
YouTube star MrBeast helps 1,000 blind people see again by sponsoring cataract surgeries
YouTube superstar MrBeast is making the world clearer -- for at least 1,000 people. The content creator's latest stunt is paying for cataract removal for 1,000 people who were blind or near-blind but could not afford the surgery.
Entertainment
-
'Laverne & Shirley' actor Cindy Williams dies at 75
Cindy Williams, who was among the most recognizable stars in America in the 1970s and 80s for her role as Shirley opposite Penny Marshall's Laverne on the beloved sitcom 'Laverne & Shirley,' has died, her family said Monday.
-
Chicago prosecutor dropping R. Kelly sex-abuse charges
A Chicago prosecutor said Monday that she's dropping sex-abuse charges against singer R. Kelly following federal convictions in two courts that should guarantee the disgraced R&B star will be locked up for decades.
-
Michael Jackson's nephew to star in King of Pop biopic
Michael Jackson's 26-year-old nephew, Jaafar Jackson, will play the King of Pop in the planned biopic "Michael" to be directed by Antoine Fuqua.
Business
-
Nike sues Lululemon, says footwear infringes patents
Nike sued Lululemon Athletica on Monday, saying that at least four of the Canadian athletic apparel company's footwear products infringe its patents.
-
Companies make progress on anti-Black racism, but workers worry about recession: poll
Most Black Canadians feel their employers made progress addressing anti-Black racism last year -- but they worry about what a recession could mean for those gains, a KPMG survey said.
-
WestJet cancels summer flights between Halifax and Europe
WestJet has suspended its transatlantic service between Halifax and Europe for summer 2023.
Lifestyle
-
Marie Kondo is focusing on what's important--and that means letting the tidying slide
Queen of clean Marie Kondo admits that tidying up is no longer top of her to-do list. Posting on her website shortly after the birth of her third child in 2021, the Japanese organization expert reflected on motherhood, saying she had 'eased up on herself' when it comes to tidying.
-
Mindbender roller coaster closed after 37 years at West Edmonton Mall
The Mindbender roller coaster at Galaxyland has been shut down, West Edmonton Mall announced on Monday. The redevelopment of the area is already underway, and the roller coaster is being decommissioned and removed.
-
Once-in-a-lifetime discovery: Indigenous jacket more than a century old turns up in small U.K. town
When 1990s suede fringe jackets started making a comeback last year, a U.K.-based vintage clothing company decided to order four tonnes of suede from a supplier in the United States. Along with that shipment came a once-in-a lifetime discovery.
Sports
-
'Just incredible': Winnipegger and former teammate remembers Bobby Hull
Without Bobby Hull, the Winnipeg Jets wouldn’t be in the NHL right now. That’s how one of his former teammates feels about the late Jets forward.
-
Canucks trade captain Bo Horvat to Islanders
The rebuild of the Vancouver Canucks has begun, with centre Bo Horvat heading to the New York Islanders.
-
Gymnastics Canada CEO faces questions from MPs on handling of two disgraced coaches
Gymnastics Canada chief executive officer Ian Moss was on the hot seat at the status of women hearings on safety of women in sport on Monday. Moss was repeatedly questioned by MPs about Gymnastics Canada's handling of coaches Ian Bard and Scott McFarlane amid accusations he knew of complaints from athletes.
Autos
-
Kia and Hyundai vehicles in Canada not affected by U.S. theft issue, automakers say
Kia and Hyundai vehicles sold in Canada do not have the same anti-theft issue as those in the United States because of Canadian regulations, the automakers say.
-
Ford to cut prices of Mustang Mach-E, following Tesla's lead
Ford Motor Co on Monday cut prices of its electric crossover SUV Mustang Mach-E by as much as US$5,900 per vehicle, weeks after rival Tesla Inc slashed prices globally on its electric vehicles by as much as 20 per cent.
-
Automakers Renault, Nissan to make cross-shareholdings equal
Nissan and Renault have agreed to equalize the stakes they hold in each other, both sides said Monday, ironing out a source of conflict in the Japan-French auto alliance.
