MARCH 28, 2017 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + PROPERTY GUIDE
Beaut bounty heaven-sent
(Joe Mastroianni)
There must be something in the water at Ljubica Bosevska’s house – her tomatoes are growing like there’s no tomorrow. The Sunbury resident (pictured) plucked these beauties from her tomato plant last week, and each of them weighed in at just under a kilogram. This year’s crop pipped last year’s by about 300 grams, Ms Bosevska says. She says there’s no great secret to her gardening, but credits divine intervention for her fruitful life. “I don’t do anything to them, I just put the plant in the ground and water it, and it takes off,” she said. “I guess the weather has been crazy. “When I pick them, I give them away to the people in my church. People always gather around and ask who helps me, and I tell them: ‘I live with myself and God, and he provides me with everything I need’.” Esther Lauaki
‘Forgotten baby’ death link The mother of a 22-month-old Kyneton toddler found dead in the family car was “severely sleep deprived” and suffering from “forgotten baby syndrome” at the time, a coroner has been told. An inquest into the death of Noah Zunde last week heard that the young boy succumbed to heatstroke in February, 2015 after being left in the car all day. His mother Romy Zunde made the devastating discovery in the back seat of her car minutes after she arrived at a Kyneton childcare centre to pick him up. The Victorian Coroners Court was told Ms Zunde believed she had dropped Noah at childcare that morning.
Associate Professor of Psychology Matthew Mundy, who tended a medical report to the coroner, told the hearing he believed the mother’s actions were the result of a catastrophic memory lapse. “If you are capable of forgetting to post a letter, you are capable of forgetting to take your baby out of the car,” he said. “When you forget something simple like forgetting to post a letter … you assume that that’s a simple failure of short-term memory, and it absolutely is. “Your memory is limited – it’s limited in the number of things you can remember at any given time and it’s limited in the amount of time you can remember a thing for.”
Ms Zunde was severely sleep-deprived, stressed, dealing with a change in routine and suffering from a phenomenon dubbed “forgotten baby syndrome”, Professor Mundy said. The inquest was told that in the week leading up to the death, Ms Zunde hadn’t been able to sleep well due to a suspected case of gastroenteritis. Her daughter later fell sick, too. Professor Mundy said that sleep was required for memories to be consolidated, so the deprivation would have decreased the likelihood that Ms Zunde remembered her child was in the car. “She was overwhelmed with confusion and
thought about several alternatives where she could have left Noah.” During the inquest, coroner Sara Hinchey was told of new technology being used in some cars in the United States to alert parents to the presence of a baby in the backseat when they turn off the ignition. The device emits a sound and visual cue to remind parents to remove their child from the vehicle. Professor Mundy recommended similar technology be introduced to new cars in Victoria. The inquest will continue at a later date.
THE 100TH YEAR LIMITED EDITION D-MAX X-RUNNER
– with The Age
Own your piece of history with the 100th year Limited Edition D-MAX X-RUNNER. Available in both Cosmic Black and Pearl White, this 4x4 is loaded with extras like a touchscreen display audio system, reversing camera plus much more. Discover more at xrunner.com.au
HURRY TO HARRISON ISUZU UTE TODAY Shane 0411 373 225 • Andrew 0400 609 490 158-166 High Street, Melton • Ph: 8746 0323 www.harrisonisuzuute.com.au
12344167-HM13-17 10044677-05
By Esther Lauaki
5-star ANCAP safety rating on 4x4 D-MAX Crew Cab models built from November 2013 onwards, 4x2 D-MAX Crew Cab High Ride models built from November 2014 onwards. *Private and ABN holders only, excludes government, fleet, rental & non-profit buyers, includes one year business vehicle registration, CTP insurance, dealer delivery and statutory charges. Available while stocks last. Not available with other offers. ^5 years/130,000km whichever occurs first, for eligible customers. Excludes trays and accessories. >The Capped Price Servicing Program (“CPS Program”) applies to Eligible Vehicles with a Warranty Start Date on or after 1/1/15 at Participating Isuzu UTE Dealers only. The 5 years Capped Price Servicing covers the first 5 Scheduled Services for 16.5MY and later vehicle models for up to 5 years/50,000km (whichever occurs first). The 3 years Capped Price Servicing covers the first 6 Scheduled Services for vehicle models earlier than 16.5MY for up to 3 years/60,000km (whichever occurs first). CPS Program is subject to change. For full terms & conditions and current pricing visit isuzuute.com.au/service-plus