Double tragedy as mum, 27, and her three-day-old boy are both found dead in bed – as heartbroken family say they never got to meet the newborn
- A mother-of-seven and her three-year-old son were found dead in bed in March
- Emerald Waiari Tai, 27, and Tanatui Samuels died at their West Auckland home
- Ms Tai's mother Susan Fa'amoe never saw her new grandson while he was alive
- Ms Fa'amoe saw the three-year-old baby for the first time at his own funeral
- Ms Tai is survived by six children, who her grieving partner is looking after
The heartbroken family of a young mother and three-year-old boy who died in bed have broken their silence, saying they never even got to meet the baby.
Mother-of-seven Emerald Waiari Tai, 27, and her newborn son Tanatui Samuels were discovered dead at their home in West Auckland on the morning of March 18.
Ms Tai's partner, also named Tanatui Samuels, discovered the pair unresponsive in bed and called emergency services, who pronounced the mother and son dead.
She is survived by her partner and six other children - aged 12, nine, eight, three, two and one.
The woman's mother Susan Fa'amoe broke her silence on Wednesday, revealing she never actually met her grandson and only saw him for the first time at his funeral.
Mother-of-seven Emerald Waiari Tai (left), 27, and her three-day-old son Tanatui Samuels (right) were discovered dead at their home in West Auckland on the morning of March 18
'I had to go and identify my daughter (in the morgue),' Ms Fa'amoe told the NZ Herald.
'I was only allowed to identify Emerald because I had never seen my grandson… I didn't ever get to see him alive, I only got to see him at the funeral parlour, I never knew until then what he looked like.'
Ms Tai gave birth to her seventh child at 11:30pm on March 15 but Ms Fa'amoe did not visit the hospital as she was exhausted after work.
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Ms Fa'amoe was not informed when her daughter was discharged from hospital on March 16, so she never saw her child over the weekend.
She returned to work on Monday when her sister came in at 11am to inform her that her own daughter had died.
The last time Ms Fa'amoe saw Ms Tai was just over a week before her death, when they celebrated her one-year-old baby's first birthday.
Ms Tai (right) and her partner Tanatui Samuels (left) at a restaurant. Mr Samuels wrote a heartbreaking update online on Sunday, saying how much he missed his wife
'She was tired (because she was heavily pregnant) but she was good, she was happy… I never thought that would be the last time,' Ms Fa'amoe said.
Ms Fa'amoe said Ms Tai's partner Tanatui Samuels is deeply grieving while looking after their six surviving children.
Mr Samuels wrote a heartbreaking update online on Sunday, saying how much he missed his wife.
'Me and the kids love you and miss you too much,' Mr Samuels wrote.
'Our love to you is painful cause your presence is not around anymore and nothing will ever be the same because I have lost the most beautiful woman in the world.
'I'm trying my hardest to look after the babies... I miss you my love.
Ms Tai and one of her six surviving children, who are being looked after by Mr Samuels. Ms Tai's mother said Mr Samuels was deeply grieving while looking after the kids
A coroner's investigation into the deaths of Ms Tai and her baby is underway.
NZ Police said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the deaths in their latest update.
Auckland District Health Board's director of women's health Dr Rob Sherwin said on Wednesday that they were conducting a second investigation.
The District Health Board is investigating Ms Tai's care to find out what happened and ensure their organisation made the correct choices.
There are currently two investigations into Ms Tai's death, one before the Coroner and another being conducted by Auckland District Health Board
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