A coroner has ruled that the death of a baby girl who was allegedly thrown into a river by her father following a psychotic episode was inevitable.
According to NSW Deputy State Coronor Harriet Grahame, the child known as Baby Q had been known to authorities in three states.
The baby, who was referred to as Baby Q, died in November 2018 in the NSW’s Northern Rivers.
During a five-day inquest in December, the parents were revealed to have been diagnosed with mental health issues and were not receiving adequate treatment.
The family had been living in rough conditions prior to the incident.
Today, after delivering her findings in Tamworth, Grahame revealed that the death of Baby Q was the result of multiple failures.
She noted that the risk of harm to the child was predictable unless there was intervention from support agencies.
She also expressed her concerns about how the child fell through the cracks.
People who interacted with the family in 2018 should have recognized the child’s need for protection.
According to Donna Ward SC, the father reportedly thought about abducting and killing the baby.
The father tried to get the baby away from people twice on the day of her death. He then threw her into the Tweed River. The cause of her death has not been established. Her body was discovered on a Gold Coast beach. In 2020, the father was cleared of murder due to his mental health issues.
According to Grahame, the family moved from one state to another, and the baby had been in contact with child protection agencies in all three of them. She also noted that the family’s behavior prevented the agencies from being able to support them properly.
At first, it was believed that homelessness was the main issue the family faced. But, she noted that their problems were more complex. The coroner’s report will look into how authorities share information and how child safety groups work together.