The woman charged with neglect after a toddler was found in a suitcase on a bus travelling from Northland to Auckland is scheduled to appear in the North Shore District Court today.

Police allege the 27-year-old put the child in a closed suitcase, which was stored in a luggage compartment on a bus travelling from Whangārei to Auckland.

She has been charged with ill-treatment/neglect of a child.

A court charge sheet says the alleged conduct was likely to cause adverse effects to the health of the toddler.

“Namely, suffocation, carbon monoxide poisoning, heat exhaustion, psychological trauma.”

It alleged the offending was a “major departure” from the standard of care expected by a reasonable person.

No occupation was listed on the woman’s charge sheet.

She is due to appear this morning before Judge Anna Fitzgibbon.

Police said officers were called about 12.50pm yesterday after a passenger asked to access the luggage department during a planned stop in Kaiwaka, a small town in Northland.

“The driver became concerned when he noticed the bag moving,” said Detective Inspector Simon Harrison, Acting Field Crime Manager Waitematā.

“When the driver opened the suitcase, they discovered the 2-year-old little girl.”

The girl was reported to be very hot, but otherwise appeared unharmed.

She was taken to the hospital for a thorough medical assessment.

“We would like to acknowledge and commend the bus driver, who noticed something wasn’t right and took immediate action, preventing what could have been a far worse outcome,” Harrison said.

The investigation is ongoing, and further charges have not been ruled out.

Oranga Tamariki has also been notified.

Katie Harris is an Auckland-based journalist who covers issues such as sexual assault, workplace misconduct, media, crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2020.