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Authorities received multiple child safety reports before a four-year-old boy was found allegedly murdered by his mother on the NSW Central Coast, as the minister orders a review to examine if the agency responsible could have done more to protect the child.
Families and Communities Minister Kate Washington said reports that the mother was using drugs and had mental health problems would fall under the scope of the review, which will be conducted by retired judge and former President of the NSW Children’s Court Peter Johnstone.
When asked if it was appropriate that the mother retained custody of the boy despite multiple child safety reports, the minister said there were “many complexities” in the case, and the review would aim to answer those questions. The review will also examine if decisions made by the department were adequate, looking at all previous interactions with authorities.
The latest child safety report was made 18 months before the boy was allegedly murdered.
“If there are lessons to be learned or failures to be identified, they will be. If changes need to be made to better protect children, they will be made,” Washington said.
More than three dozen locals, many pushing prams or carrying babies, attended a vigil at the shuttered Wyong Memorial Olympic Pool on Monday afternoon.
Families laid flowers, candles, Hot Wheels cars, and teddies alongside Spider-Man balloons, as Forever Young, Hallelujah and Over the Rainbow played from portable speakers. As the rain subsided, children splashed in puddles and a rainbow formed over the neighbouring soccer pitch.
Vigil organiser Haylee Dickinson lives in the next street over from where the alleged horrors took place. She said the vigil was to help the community mourn together. “It’s heartbreaking – as a mother, this is so close to home,” she said.
Naomi Faith Hura led a prayer for the allegedly murdered boy. “I pray over the community and whatever happens right now that they come together as one,” she said.
‘He was a happy, energetic child … Just normal, happy kids.’
Bec Featherstone, whose son attended a party with the deceased child
“This tragedy has happened, but it doesn’t mean that it [represents] our community.”
There were no speeches at the vigil. Few locals had met the accused woman and her son and said they mostly kept to themselves.
Bec Featherstone and her six-year-old son attended another child’s birthday party with the alleged victim and his mother earlier this year. She said the kids played together and said nothing seemed out of the ordinary. “He was a happy, energetic child,” she said. “Just normal, happy kids.”
Police forensic experts will take samples from a mother’s fingernails and mouth for evidence of cannibalism after she allegedly claimed to have consumed part of her son, who was found dead in their Wyong home.
A 32-year-old woman arrived at Wyong police station of her own accord on Saturday afternoon, leading officers to quickly form grave concerns about the safety of a child.
The woman allegedly told police she had eaten part of her son.
Police conducted a welfare check at a unit on Byron Street in Wyong. They found the body of her son with significant arm injuries.
Police were granted approval to carry out a forensic procedure on the woman over the weekend that will allow them to carry out a buccal swab, a sample of her blood, nail clippings and matter under her fingernails and “to examine the internal mouth contents and forensic material of the suspect”.
Unusually, the order notes it was not to obtain the woman’s DNA, which is the ordinary purpose of such forensic procedures.
Sources with knowledge of the investigation say it’s suspected that the mother had a combination of mental health and drug addiction problems.
This masthead is prohibited from identifying the boy or the mother under laws protecting the identities of child victims of crime.
“I’m prepared to say publicly, at the moment, it was an extremely confronting scene,” Superintendent Chad Gillies of Tuggerah Lakes police said at a press conference on Sunday morning.
Police sources not authorised to speak publicly said on Sunday that officers were investigating whether cannibalism was involved in the preschooler’s death.
Police are investigating whether the boy had been dead since Wednesday, Nine News reported.
The coroner will conduct an autopsy in coming days to determine the cause of death.
The woman, who was previously known to police, was arrested at the police station and charged on Sunday morning with murder (domestic violence).
In 2016, she pleaded guilty to assault and was subject to an apprehended violence order. In 2017, she was convicted of driving with a suspended licence, and in 2020 was convicted of driving with a suspended licence and driving with a middle-range blood alcohol level. Her car was fitted with an interlock breath testing device for a year.
In 2022, she obtained an apprehended violence order for her protection against a former partner.
She had appeared in courts in Gunnedah, Mount Druitt and Penrith.
The mother previously lived in Gunnedah before moving to Wyong earlier this year. The double-storey block of units is owned by Community Housing Limited.
The NSW opposition is calling for an independent review into the case to determine what interventions were made, or not made, said families and communities spokeswoman Natasha Maclaren-Jones.
“My thoughts are with the child’s family, loved ones and everyone in the community affected by this unimaginable loss. This is a heartbreaking tragedy,” she said.
“The people of NSW deserve transparency, an independent review into this case, and a clear plan to strengthen frontline child protection services before another tragedy occurs.”
Tributes were laid at the apartment complex on Monday morning, including a blue teddy bear, a kangaroo, and a card with “rest in peace” written inside.
Callum and Sharnie Wilson, who live in a neighbouring town, arrived with their two young children and placed two teddy bears in front of the property.
“It’s so sad,” Sharnie said. The pair said the area was “rough” and ice use was common.
A mother and her teenage son who live nearby came to show their respect. “I hope the little boy is doing OK in heaven,” the son said.
Neighbours who didn’t want to be named told reporters on Sunday that they had never seen anything untoward between the mother and son.
“[The boy] was all happy; seen him walking the dog and walking up and down the street. He was very energetic,” said a man who had previously done work on the woman’s car.
“[The boy] goes, ‘Oh you’re working on mum’s car, has she broken it again?’ He was happy. We couldn’t see any signs of anything,” the man said.
The duo had moved into the rental earlier this year, a neighbour said, allegedly following domestic violence between the woman and an ex-partner.
Investigators have seized the woman’s vehicle for forensic analysis and removed a number of items from the crime scene for analysis.
“Whenever a child is a victim of violent crime, and whenever a child is murdered, it strikes at the core of community,” Gillies said.
“That’s why it’s absolutely important to work through this methodically. We try to understand what’s happened, why it’s happened, and from my perspective, we owe that to that little boy to make sure that we get the exact circumstances and present them to the court in due course.”
The woman faced the bail division court on Sunday, where she did not apply for bail, and it was formally refused. She will next face court in September.
Amber Schultz is a crime and justice reporter with The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.
Jessica McSweeney is a reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald covering state politics and urban affairs.Connect via email.
