Kumanjayi Little Baby’s mother was not supported to protect her children while escaping domestic violence, review finds
Summary
A review found that child protection authorities did not properly support the mother of Kumanjayi Little Baby, a five-year-old girl who was abducted and killed in the Northern Territory. The report said domestic violence risks were not fully recognized or addressed, although it did not find a direct link between child protection actions and the girl’s death.Key Facts
- Kumanjayi Little Baby was a five-year-old Warlpiri girl who was abducted and murdered in April by Jefferson Lewis.
- An independent review was commissioned to examine the family’s contact with child protection services before her death.
- The review found that domestic violence against the mother was not adequately considered in child protection assessments.
- No domestic and family violence (DFV) risk assessment was done during the child protection process.
- Child protection workers relied too much on their personal judgment, which varied and affected how risks were rated.
- The review said protective actions were not taken quickly or effectively enough despite multiple signs of danger.
- Changes to the Care and Protection of Children Act were passed in the Northern Territory after the report was released.
- The child protection system’s failure did not directly cause the girl’s death but showed problems in identifying and responding to risk.
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