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Warning: This article contains references to an Indigenous person who has died.
Child protection staff stood down
The Northern Territory government has suspended three child protection workers following the death of a five-year-old Indigenous girl, Kumanjayi Little Baby, whose body was discovered near Alice Springs on 30 April.
Timeline of events
Kumanjayi Little Baby was last seen when she was put to bed shortly before midnight on Anzac Day at Old Timers Camp, a government-designated site for Aboriginal visitors in Alice Springs. She was reported missing hours later, triggering a large-scale search for the non-verbal child.
Her body was found five days later, several kilometres from the camp. Police arrested and charged Jefferson Lewis, 47, with her murder later the same day. Lewis, who had been assaulted by community members prior to his arrest, was initially taken to Alice Springs Hospital before being transferred to Darwin for his safety.
Investigation and fallout
NT Child Protection Minister Robyn Cahill revealed on Wednesday that she had ordered an investigation into the handling of Kumanjayi Little Baby's case after being initially told by authorities that there were no concerns for her welfare when she was first reported missing.
"I can't go into the detail of what was in that brief, but suffice it to say that we had to investigate how those processes had been executed," Cahill told reporters.
Robyn Cahill, NT Child Protection Minister
The minister confirmed that the three workers were stood down as a result of the department's findings, not her direct decision.
Prior welfare concerns
Reports indicate that six separate welfare alerts had been filed about Kumanjayi Little Baby in the weeks leading up to her death. Concerns were raised by staff at a domestic violence shelter and by a family member, according to The Australian.
Community response
Violent clashes erupted outside Alice Springs Hospital following Lewis's arrest, with police detaining five people in connection with the riot. Family elder Robin Granites urged the community to focus on "sorry business," a period of mourning observed in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
Vigils for Kumanjayi Little Baby will be held across Australia on Thursday evening, including in Alice Springs and major capital cities. In accordance with cultural protocols, her name and image are being withheld to respect mourning traditions, which prohibit the use of a deceased person's name without family permission.
