NEARLY 12 months on from the death of a six-month-old boy at New Lambton, prosecutors are yet to finalise the charges against the man accused of his murder due to the "exceptionally complex and highly sensitive" nature of the matter.
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Jie William Smith, 28, has been charged with murder and reckless grievous bodily harm over the death of a baby boy, who allegedly suffered a traumatic head injury while in Mr Smith's care in the early hours of February 9.
Emergency services were called to a home in Fairfield Avenue, New Lambton after the boy went into cardiac arrest. The child was taken to John Hunter Hospital in a critical condition but died late the next day.
Mr Smith, who detectives said had been in a relationship with the boy's mother for six weeks before the alleged assault, was arrested at Budgewoi on February 13.
He was excused from appearing in Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday as DPP solicitor Isabella Maxwell-Williams applied to further extend the period of time for the prosecution to file a charge certificate.
The autopsy report, the critical piece of evidence, was served last month and the DPP needed more time to finalise the charges.
