A Samoan man who allegedly killed his mother by stabbing her with a knife on her birthday in Onehunga, New Zealand in June of 2022, will be detained as a special patient in a psychiatric institution.

This newspaper reached out to the daughter of the late Maria Brown for a comment on the latest development regarding her mother’s case.

However, because of the sensitivity of the case involving her brother being accused for the murder of Muagututia Yvonne Soe said she will not be making any public statements.

She explains that the wound is still fresh and would not be comfortable talking to the media about her mother’s case. 

However, local media reports in New Zealand reported that, Matamua Leatio'o, accused of murdering his mother, the late Maria Brown appeared via a video link at the High Court in Auckland last Wednesday where Justice Geoffrey Venning detained him in a hospital as a special patient under the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992.

According to Stuff, Leati’oo was previously acquitted on the charge of murder of his mother Maria Brown on the grounds of insanity, by Justice Sally Fitzgerald who found he caused his mother’s death, but could not be held criminally responsible as he was not of sound mind at the time.

Leati’oo was charged with murder after Brown’s body was found inside her home by one of her grandsons on her birthday last year. 

“On Wednesday, Auckland’s Crown solicitor Alysha McClintock said this was obviously a very tragic series of events for everyone concerned,” Stuff reported.

“McClintock and Leati’oo’s lawyer Marie Dyhrberg KC both agreed Leati’oo should be detained as a special patient to ensure both the safety of the wider community and himself if he was to relapse.

“Justice Venning acknowledged Brown’s family members in court and hoped this hearing would bring some finality.

“As a special patient Leati’oo will get the treatment he needs for his violent psychotic episodes, " Justice Venning said.

On June 4, the day he killed his mother, Leati’oo was seen on Queen St setting small fires, documents obtained by Stuff say.

“He was then admitted to the Te Whatu Tawera unit and later the Mason Clinic before being charged with murder.

“Upon his arrest by police, Mr Leati’oo repeatedly stated that he was working for the Prime Minister, who he suggested was also the mother of his children,” the judgement said.

Two experienced clinical psychiatrists both concluded Leati’oo was suffering from psychosis caused by schizophrenia at the time he killed his mother.

“Both experts refer to Mr Leati’oo’s interactions with mental health services in the years leading up to the offending, and the clear evidence of delusionary and persecutory beliefs on his part over that time.”

On the evening of June 3, Leati’oo stayed at Brown’s home and believed she had been “replaced”.
“In short, due to the hallucinations he was suffering at the time, Mr Leati’oo believed he needed to kill the person – who was in fact his mother – before that person killed him.”

“In short, due to the hallucinations he was suffering at the time, Mr Leati’oo believed he needed to kill the person – who was in fact his mother – before that person killed him.”

Auckland’s Crown solicitor Alysha McClintock also accepted the only reasonable outcome in this case was a finding that the act was proven, but Leati’oo was not criminally responsible on the basis of insanity.

In Justice Fitzgerald’s judgement, she detailed Leati’oo’s mental health history which spanned over a decade.

He first had contact with mental health services in 2009, when he reported hearing voices.

Justice Fitzgerald said Leati’oo belief’s of being poisoned had been a recurring theme over the years.

In 2018, he was diagnosed with psychotic mental health problems and provided treatment and prescribed antipsychotic medication.

In 2020, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia, complicated by substance abuse and was admitted to the Tiaho Mai in-patient unit at Middlemore Hospital under the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992.

In mid-2021, Leati’oo moved, but remained subject to compulsory treatment until October 2021.

He refused his antipsychotic medication, due to a belief that it was causing unusual side effects, and rejected mental health follow-ups in November. By March 2022, he was discharged from the community mental health team.

Leati’oo’s ongoing mental illness and psychosis continued while he was staying at Scotty’s boarding house in Onehunga.

He was eventually evicted and living on the streets, but would still regularly visit his mother who provided him food and a place to sleep.

“A particularly sad aspect of this case is that his mother was the only member of his immediate family who still supported him at this time,” Justice Fitzgerald said.

Brown had six children, 22 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.