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Byron Shire
March 29, 2024

Murray tragedy spotlight on NSW agencies

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An emergency service member pictured during the search for bodies.
An emergency service member pictured during the search for bodies.

Pressure is mounting on NSW authorities over their handling of the case of a woman accused of trying to drown her two sons in the Murray River.

The 27-year-old is facing murder and attempted murder charges after allegedly trying to hold down the boys, aged five and nine, underwater on Thursday evening.

The nine-year-old who escaped is in a stable condition in a Melbourne hospital but the body of his five-year-old brother was found at the weekend.

Their heartbroken grandmother has accused NSW government agencies of failing “miserably” in their duty.

She holds police and Corrective Services responsible because the daughter was essentially “off-loaded” on her after being released from prison in early February, her lawyer has said.

The boys had been living with their grandparents for close to 18 months and it’s alleged Corrective Services did not seek the grandmothers’ approval for the daughter to live with them.

‘Our client’s repeated attempts to get her daughter moved to another property were met with what they considered to be apathy or uncaring response from other agencies.’

They’ve also questioned “serious issues” with agency interaction between police and Family and Community Services NSW, with both allegedly refusing to assist the grandmother when the children were taken to Victoria.

“The police in NSW did little to help our client when she called for help and it’s not clear whether any alert was made to Victoria police in a timely manner,’ the lawyers said.

An apprehended violence order has been in place since May 2016 banning the 27-year-old from assaulting, intimidating or stalking her mother.

Corrective Services has denied most of the serious allegations against staff.

It said accommodation in the area was extremely restricted and officers had tried several times to find the mother a place since her release.

There had also been arrangements for the mother to receive mental health and substance abuse counselling.

The apprehended violence order only prohibited her from approaching the grandmother’s home “within 24 hours of consuming intoxicating liquor or illicit drugs” – it did not prevent the mother from living with the grandmother.

‘It appears our staff took reasonable steps to put appropriate services in place and to make alternative accommodation arrangements,’ acting Assistant Commissioner Michelle Micallef said.

‘We could not have foreseen this shocking outcome.’

While NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has ordered an investigation by government agencies into the circumstances of the family, the grandmother wants an external review.

She’s concerned about transparency, saying an independent investigation would check into agency interaction and what risk assessments were made about the mother after her release.

 


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