Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Crimes Act 1961

Crimes against the person - Murder, manslaughter, etc

181: Concealing dead body of child

You could also call this:

“Hiding a baby's body to keep its birth a secret is against the law.”

If you hide the body of a dead child to keep people from knowing about its birth, you can go to prison for up to 2 years. This is true no matter when the child died - before it was born, while it was being born, or after it was born. You’re not allowed to get rid of the body in any way that tries to keep the birth a secret.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM329350.

Topics:
Crime and justice > Criminal law
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180: Suicide pact, or

“When people agree to die together, it's not called murder if someone survives.”

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182: Killing unborn child, or

“This law explains when ending a baby's life before birth is not allowed, except in special cases to protect the mother or during legal abortions.”

Part 8 Crimes against the person
Murder, manslaughter, etc

181Concealing dead body of child

  1. Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years who disposes of the dead body of any child in any manner with intent to conceal the fact of its birth, whether the child died before, or during, or after birth.

Compare
  • 1908 No 32 s 194