Auckland woman admits poisoning mother's tea with weed-killer and setting house on fire

An Auckland woman has pleaded guilty to serving her 83-year-old mother a cup of tea mixed with the weed-killer Roundup and trying to burn down her home. The defendant appeared in the High Court at Auckland to enter guilty pleas to arson and a reduced charge of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm through poisoning, after initially facing an attempted murder charge earlier this year.

The Incident

Court documents show the defendant prepared the poisoned drink around 8.30am on June 28 at the victim's West Auckland home, placing half a cup of Roundup and half tea in a mug. She served the drink to her mother in bed before leaving for Henderson. The victim took only a single sip after noticing the tea tasted and smelled odd, which prevented serious harm. When the defendant returned, the two argued and the mother left the house. The defendant then used an accelerant to start three fires in the bedroom and lounge, causing moderate damage to the living area.

Court and Investigation

Neighbours found the defendant outside as smoke poured from the windows, and firefighters soon extinguished the flames. During a police interview, the defendant admitted she wanted to kill her mother to get her out of her life and lit the fires as an act of revenge. Tests confirmed glyphosate in both the tea and the victim's urine sample. The defendant has no prior criminal record and told police she has suffered from schizophrenia for over two decades while remaining up to date on her medication. During today's hearing, she initially shouted "not guilty, your honour" due to nerves, prompting Justice Mathew Downs to stand down the session before she entered a guilty plea after consulting with defence lawyer Guneesh Jubal. Justice Downs set a sentencing date for early next year and granted temporary name suppression pending a permanent suppression bid.

Context

Cases involving family harm and poisoning are treated with extreme severity in the New Zealand legal system, often leading to significant prison terms. The amended charges of arson and causing grievous bodily harm carry a maximum sentence of seven years, compared to up to 14 years for attempted murder. Restorative justice meetings, which the victim expressed interest in attending, are sometimes explored in court processes to help resolve conflicts between family members.