Laisa Waka Tunidau, 52, had caught the bus home from work and was yards from her home in Cheyenne St, Sockburn, when she was allegedly attacked at 4:20 p.m. on Saturday.
The Director of the Canterbury District Health Board, Dr. Peter Bramley, has confirmed that the 37-year-old man accused of murdering her was a patient of DHB’s specialist mental health services at Hillmorton Hospital who was on community leave.
Other media outlets have reported that several staff members have resigned from the hospital since the incident.
But a statement from Jo Domigan, interim chief people officer of Te Whatu Ora – Waitaha Canterbury, which has replaced the CDHB, said there had been no layoffs in forensic mental health services since the incident.
“We are working with all relevant personnel and have support,” she said.
A full review by DHB bosses has been launched following the incident.
The CDHB announced it is conducting an investigation after days of questions about how the 37-year-old man was allowed into the community.
Tunidau’s 11-year-old son is reportedly “traumatized” after he saw emergency services try to rescue a woman outside his childhood home, unaware it was his mother.
On Monday, the man accused of Tunidau’s murder appeared in court and was remanded in custody.
A judge ordered reports to assess the man’s mental health.
But there are unanswered questions about how the man was released from mental health.
Christchurch-based National Member of Parliament Gerry Brownlee said the assessment should clarify where the shortcomings were.
Brownlee said someone had made the decision to release the man despite his dangerous circumstances.
-By Devon Bolger