COULD THIS TRAGEDY HAVE BEEN PREVENTED? POLICE CONFIRM AUTHORITIES RECEIVED MULTIPLE REPORTS BEFORE 4-YEAR-OLD’S ALLEGED MU-RDER AS HORROR PROBE DEEPENS
NSW authorities received several reports about a young boy and his family before he was allegedly murdered by his mother on the state’s Central Coast in a death described as “horrific” and one of the most confronting scenes seen by police.
An independent review into the four-year-old’s death will investigate if more could have been done to protect the four-year-old boy, and NSW Police is also investigating if a mother’s alleged claims of cannibalism played a role in his death.
A mother has been charged with murder after four-year-old boy was found dead in a home on the NSW Central Coast. 9News
The body of the “bright and cheeky” boy was found in a home on Saturday afternoon.
Nine.com.au understands part of the investigation is looking at alleged references to cannibalism made after she arrived at Wyong police station.
It is unclear if the act occurred, only that the claim is being investigated.
The woman, 32, voluntarily went to Wyong police station after 4pm on Saturday.
She, along with the boy, cannot be identified for legal reasons.
The woman, who was known to police, was charged with murder (domestic violence), and refused bail during a brief court appearance on Sunday.
Superintendent Chad Gillies said police formed “formed genuine concerns” through conversations they had with her, triggering a welfare check at the unit.
But when they arrived, nothing could be done. The details of how the boy allegedly died were too distressing to share but police sources told 9News they were investigating whether he had been dead for a number of days.
Gillies said the body was found alone in the unit with significant arm injuries, and that responding emergency services were heavily impacted by what they saw.
Superintendent Chad Gillies said the scene was “extremely confronting” for responding emergency services. 9News
“The scene can only be described as confronting for all police and emergency workers that were there,” he said.
“[It was a] confronting scene for even the most experienced police that attend, and ambulance.”
Gillies said support was being offered to police who were at the scene.
NSW Families Minister Kate Washington said the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) has launched a review into the child’s death and if “more could have been done” to prevent it.
Visitors to the scene have placed tributes to the young boy. Kate Geraghty
A teddy bear and flowers left by members of the community. Supplied
Washington confirmed on Monday afternoon that the department had dealt with a number of reports regarding the child.
The last contact staff had with the family was around 18 months ago, she added.
“A little boy has lost his life in the most horrific of circumstances and I extend my condolences and deepest sympathies to his family, his loved ones and his community,” Washington said.
“There are many people across NSW asking how this happened and wondering what more could have been done to protect this child.
“I am sure it has shocked a lot of people across the state, across the nation.”
Kate Washington (pictured) said an independent review is now under way. Supplied
Washington said the review, led by former NSW Children’s Court President Peter Johnstone, will also examine the department’s previous contact with family and why the child was living with his mother.
She acknowledged that the community and media had many questions about the circumstances around the boy’s death.
“Many of those questions I simply cannot answer today,” she added.
“There is an active police investigation, there will be criminal proceedings, there will be a coronial inquest, there will be a child death review.
“If there are lessons to be learned or failures to be identified, there will be.”
‘Bright and cheeky’ boy remembered by community
Those who knew the boy best described him as a “bright and cheeky” child who’d just started kindergarten.
Harley Chislett used to babysit him.
The boy and the woman cannot be identified for legal reasons. Nine News
“Sad to see him, even his toys, he’s left at my house,” Chislett said.
“Angel of a kid, he used to come down, play with the dog 24/7.
“Just a typical four-year-old, run amok, the happiest kid I’ve seen around at that age.”
Gillies said the mother and child lived alone at the unit, where a “number of exhibits” have been seized, along with her Holden Captiva, which she drove to the police station.
Gillies said the local community would be significantly impacted by the death, and that his team would do everything it could to find out what happened.
“Whenever a child is a victim of violent crime and whenever a child is murdered, it strikes at the core of community, that’s why it’s absolutely important we work through this methodically,” he said.
“We owe it to that little boy.”
SOURCE: https://www.nine.com.au/australia-news/nsw/woman-arrested-after-child-found-dead-in-central-coast-wyong-home-20260705-p60cni.html
