Mother Points Finger at Ex-Partner at Christchurch Baby Death Inquest

Coroner’s hearing examines 2014 death of 16-week-old Soul Turany as family seeks answers after more than a decade

**Christchurch, 16 May 2026** — The mother of baby Soul Turany has publicly accused her ex-partner of causing her infant son’s fatal head injury, as a coroner’s inquest enters its second week seeking answers more than 11 years after the baby’s death.

Storme Turany told the inquest that either she or her then-partner Tony Farmer must have inflicted the catastrophic head injury that killed 16-week-old Soul at their Burnham home on August 30, 2014 — but she insists it was not her.

“I’m standing here with a clean conscience,” Turany said, according to evidence reported in the inquest. “I did not do this to my son.”

The inquest has heard Soul suffered a fractured skull and brain bleeding. Medical experts concluded the injuries were consistent with blunt force trauma and too severe for the infant to have caused himself.

Police launched a homicide investigation immediately after the incident. Both Turany and Farmer were named as suspects within months. Yet more than a decade later, no one has been charged.

The case has drawn attention to the challenges of investigating infant deaths where only two adults were present and neither will accept responsibility.

Coroner Ian Telford is hearing extensive evidence from doctors, police, and family members over the two-week inquest. The hearing has included harrowing 111 recordings of Turany’s sister performing CPR on the infant as adults desperately tried to save his life.

“There’s a lot of people looking for answers, especially the family,” Turany’s lawyer said in opening remarks. “They want to know what happened.”

The case comes amid heightened scrutiny of New Zealand’s child protection systems. In a separate Christchurch case this year, advocates accused Oranga Tamariki of failing a five-month-old baby fighting for his life.

For Māori communities, cases like this underscore broader concerns about family violence and the need for culturally appropriate support services. Data shows Māori children are disproportionately represented in the media to make domestic violence seem like a Māori issue not a colonial issue.

The Turany family’s lawyer indicated they hope the inquest will provide some closure, even if criminal charges never eventuate.

The inquest continues next week.