(File photo) Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
A coronial inquest into the death of a Gore toddler found in the town's wastewater treatment ponds is set to start in the Invercargill District Court.
Three-year-old Lachlan Paul Graham Jones could not be revived after being discovered unresponsive in the local council's sewage oxidation pond about 1km from his home on 29 January 2019.
His mother had reported him missing earlier that evening.
A post-mortem ruled Lachlan died from drowning, with the police determining there was no evidence of neglect or criminal liability.
The coronial inquest, starting Monday, will consider whether the pathologist was correct to conclude he died from drowning, the circumstances that led to him being found in the pond - including if neglect was involved, whether the evidence supports his father's allegations, and if anyone else was involved in his death.
Coroner Alexander Ho would also examine whether further steps could be taken to yield more evidence if that currently available was not enough to answer these questions, and any recommendations to reduce the chance of similar deaths.
A subsequent police reinvestigation came to the same conclusions as their initial case.
Last year, police admitted mistakes were made during the initial investigation and a review was ordered.
The Independent Police Conduct Authority would be carrying out its own review.
Initially, WorkSafe charged the Gore District Council with failing to comply with a duty that exposed people to the risk of death or serious injury.
That was downgraded, with the council pleading guilty to failing to perform a duty and being ordered to pay $55,000 in reparation to each of his parents, along with about $19,000 in legal costs over his death.
The first phase of the coronial inquest is set to run for three weeks.
