A man has been charged with murdering his former partner who has died after he allegedly assaulted her at her Gold Coast apartment.
Reo Te Whetu Marama Marsh, 34, was initially charged with grievous bodily harm and strangulation after 25-year-old mother Mary Benedito was found unresponsive at a Southport apartment on Saturday afternoon.
Police issued an amber alert when they realised her 11-month-old son was missing from the home.
Officers later tracked down the boy, who was unharmed, seven hours later about midnight.
Marsh was arrested in Oxley about 12.30am on Sunday and charged over the assault.
He appeared in court on Monday charged with one count of grievous bodily harm and one of strangulation, and was remanded in custody.
However, Ms Benedito has since died while being treated in intensive care at the Gold Coast University Hospital.
Police upgraded Marsh's charge to murder on Tuesday morning.
The 34-year-old didn't appear in Richlands Magistrates Court when the murder charge was mentioned on Tuesday.
He was remanded in custody with the matter due to be mentioned in Southport Magistrates Court on January 31.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
Australian Associated Press
