The Boy in the Water

Newsroom’s electrifying new podcast takes you inside a small town harbouring a big mystery. After the lifeless body of three-year-old Lachie Jones is found floating in an oxidation pond in the Southland town of Gore, police rule his death a tragic accident. But nothing is what it seems. Newsroom’s investigations editor Melanie Reid has spent three years covering this case, revealing multiple flaws in the police investigation and uncovering new evidence that casts serious doubt about the circumstances surrounding Lachie’s death. In The Boy in the Water, Reid unravels the case – and the secrets – in an attempt to find out what really happened to little Lachie Jones. The Boy In The Water is coming soon to newsroom.co.nz and wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Officials jump to an early and dubious conclusion when a three-year-old boy's body is found floating in a town's sewage ponds.Presented by award-winning Newsroom Investigates editor Melanie Reid. Discover more at Newsroom.co.nz. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The mystery surrounding the death of Lachie Jones deepens after our team sends lung tissue samples to an international forensic pathologist.Presented by award-winning Newsroom Investigates editor Melanie Reid. Discover more at Newsroom.co.nz. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The whole town gets drawn into the case as the local council is charged in relation to Lachie's death.Presented by award-winning Newsroom Investigates editor Melanie Reid. Discover more at Newsroom.co.nz. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Volatile relationships and police call-outs - what was going on leading up to Lachie’s death?Presented by award-winning Newsroom Investigates editor Melanie Reid. Discover more at Newsroom.co.nz. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mysterious and tragic circumstances surround the night Lachie’s body was found.Presented by award-winning Newsroom Investigates editor Melanie Reid. Discover more at Newsroom.co.nz. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The twists and turns continue when we hear the police statements of Lachie’s mother, brother and a teenager who lived on the street.Presented by award-winning Newsroom Investigates editor Melanie Reid. Discover more at Newsroom.co.nz. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inside the small town Gore courtroom - the disappointment, the heartache and Paul Jones tells it like it is.Presented by award-winning Newsroom Investigates editor Melanie Reid. Discover more at Newsroom.co.nz. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lachie’s graveside birthday celebration, and an ex-police officer reveals the culture of bullying and burnout at the Gore police station.Presented by award-winning Newsroom Investigates editor Melanie Reid. Discover more at Newsroom.co.nz. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the astonishing season finale, a ‘big gun’ US retired forensic detective is on the case - and she’s not going to stop until she finds the truth.Presented by award-winning Newsroom Investigates editor Melanie Reid. Discover more at Newsroom.co.nz. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Watch the video version of The American Detective, read about the police review into the case, and listen to our award-winning podcast Peter Ellis, the Creche Case & Me.Presented by award-winning Newsroom Investigates editor Melanie Reid. Discover more at Newsroom.co.nz. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We reveal an important update from the coroner’s office, plus a radio interview with Melanie Reid on The Detail.Presented by award-winning Newsroom Investigates editor Melanie Reid. Discover more at Newsroom.co.nz. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Melanie Reid Investigates comes the brand new season of The Boy in the Water. Listen as we follow the coronial inquest into the death of three-and-a-half year old Lachlan Jones, whose lifeless body was found face up in a sewage oxidation pond in the small town of Gore in January 2019.We have been covering this case for more than four years now. In Season One we revealed multiple flaws in the police investigation and uncovered new evidence that cast serious doubt about the circumstances surrounding Lachie’s death. Then, in August 2023, the coroner announced he would be holding an inquest into Lachie’s death.In Season Two, we take you directly inside the courtroom during the inquest to hear the voices and evidence of the key people involved in this gripping case.Melanie and her team will be travelling to Invercargill at the bottom of New Zealand’s South Island to cover the three-week inquest in May 2024, followed by another two weeks in August. Season Two of The Boy In The Water is coming soon to newsroom.co.nz and wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emotional scenes play out in the Invercargill courthouse on day one of the coronial inquest, when Lachie’s mother is cross examined by Paul Jones’ lawyer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The questioning of Lachie’s mother continues with a forensic examination of the day her son died.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On day two of the inquest, Lachie’s mother goes head to head with Paul Jones’ lawyer as he puts it to her that she covered up her son’s death. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Timings, layouts and lines of sight are all explored – and questions are raised about dope smoking. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special bonus epsiode, Melanie Reid discusses the first days of the inquest with colleague Bonnie Sumner. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We hear from Lachie's brother for the first time as he is cross-examined about what happened that day and night. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hearing but not seeing Lachie, and the surprise on the 111 call. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.