Adrian Lowe (June 29) reports in this case. Here we have the story of a little girl who experienced extreme violence in her father's home. It is unclear just who delivered the killing blow to the child. It is painfully clear that she experienced ongoing, punitive violence at the hands (and feet) of her father and perhaps people visiting him. It is clear that this child lived a horrible life, in her father's home. Why was she there? Who decided that it would be in her best interest to experience the violence that led to her death? Who, perhaps, decided that signs of neglect/abuse were not sufficient, to warrant investigation?
And when will we insist upon safety for the children of our nation? When will we insist upon supporting parents who beg for help (as Channel 9 reports that the mother of this child did), only to be informed that their evidence is 'not bad enough' and 'the child would have to be in hospital before anyone was interested'? That 'contact with the other parent is in the bests interests of the child."?
Daniel Fogarty reports as follows:
The mother of a Victorian toddler who died from a suspected bashing had pleaded with a government caseworker to remove the girl from her father's house just weeks before her death.
The two-year-old, who can be identified only as Hayley, died two months after her mother's plea was rejected by the Department of Human Services (DHS) caseworker, a court heard.
After she noticed a bruise on her daughter's cheek when she and the caseworker visited her at her father's house, the mother asked the officer to remove Hayley and her brother.
"She said 'No' and I had to leave them at the house," the mother told the Victorian Coroner's Court on the first day of the inquest into Hayley's death.
"If she had turned around and said: 'Yes', I wouldn't be here today."
The mother, identified as CG, described the DHS as a "disgrace to society" and said both they and the police had ignored her calls for help.
Hayley died in the Royal Children's Hospital in August 2009, several weeks after being admitted with severe brain injuries.
Hayley's father, identified only as Robert, was one of three people with her on the night of the alleged bashing.
He was charged with intentionally causing serious injury to the toddler, but later killed himself.
Police retain an interest in Robert's girlfriend, who was also with Hayley on the night of the suspected bashing, as a suspect, the court heard.
She was excused from giving evidence on the grounds of self incrimination.
In his opening address, counsel assisting the coroner Chris Winneke said that it was not known exactly how Hayley died, but it is probable that one of the three adults in the house on the night she died "subjected her to violent assaults and caused the injuries from which she later died".
"On any view of the facts the events which occurred in the house were appalling," he said.
"On any view of the evidence, (Robert) failed utterly in his parental duty towards her, either by harming her, or if he did not, by failing to protect her."
At least Robert and possibly all three were alcohol affected, the court heard.
In his application to have Robert's girlfriend excused from giving evidence, lawyer Tony Lavery said a senior homicide squad investigator had raised concerns about the first investigation which was conducted by country Victorian detectives, the court heard.
He said there was evidence before the inquest that the girlfriend remained a suspect.
Robert's mother, identified as SHM, told the inquest her biggest regret is that she didn't step in and do something after she noticed Hayley had black eyes about a week before she died.
She said Robert told her he had seen his girlfriend stand on Hayley's throat in the shower.
The inquest before Coroner John Olle is expected to run for three weeks.
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