A woman was suffering from severe depression when she wrapped her live newborn baby in a garbage bag and stashed it in a storage area at the family home on the Gold Coast, a court has heard.
Dianne Lorraine Munro, 40, gave birth unexpectedly in her home toilet on the evening of June 18, 2008, the Supreme Court in Brisbane heard on Monday.
She had kept her pregnancy hidden from everyone and believed she was not due to have the baby for another two months, prosecutor Glen Cash said.
The court heard Munro, who had the flu at the time, was mentally and physically unprepared for welcoming a new child into her life.
She was also suffering from severe depression when she wrapped the tiny girl in towels and a garbage bag, the court heard.
Mr Cash said Munro, who has three other children, did not check to see if the baby was alive when she placed the wrapped body into a sports bag.
She then stowed the bundle on a shelf in a storage area at the house at Worongary.
The baby's body was discovered the following day.
A post mortem examination revealed she had been breathing when born.
Munro, who was seriously unwell, was taken to hospital where she remained for several weeks.
She was interviewed by police when she was discharged, and expressed remorse for her actions, the court heard.
She pleaded guilty on Monday to her daughter's manslaughter.
The court heard Munro, who was a long-term cannabis user, had smoked the drug in the hours leading up to the birth.
Justice John Byrne questioned the significance drugs had played in the incident.
He said the issue of drug rehabilitation would be crucial to determining the level of supervision Munro requires when she is released from jail at the end of her sentence.
Defence counsel Rob East said Munro no longer used the drug, and requested an adjournment so his client could have her hair analysed as proof.
Justice Byrne granted the adjournment to a date to be fixed, and allowed Munro bail.
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