Suitcase murders in New Zealand: mother pleads not guilty to alleged murders

Health & Fitness Journal —

The mother-of-two whose bodies were found in suitcases in New Zealand earlier this year has pleaded not guilty to her alleged murders, her lawyer told Health & Fitness Journal on Wednesday.

Solicitor Christopher Wilkinson-Smith said he submitted the two pleas of non-guilt on behalf of his client, who failed to appear at the Auckland High Court hearing.

The 42-year-old woman remains in custody after being extradited from South Korea to New Zealand. Her trial is scheduled to begin in April 2024.

The woman was arrested in the South Korean city of Ulsan in September, weeks after the children’s remains were discovered in suitcases bought by a family at an online auction in South Auckland.

The court has ordered the identities of the woman and the victims to be kept secret from the public.

Earlier, police said the children were likely between the ages of 5 and 10 and may have been dead for around three to four years.

According to South Korean police, the woman was born in South Korea and is a New Zealand citizen.