The Chronicle

Counsellor sparked further investigat­ion

- MEG GANNON CHRIS CLARKE

A RELATIVE of Chinchilla toddler Kaydence Dawita Mills said the investigat­ion into her disappeara­nce had been ramped up after her older sister spoke to a school counsellor.

It comes after Kaydence’s mother and her mother’s partner were charged over her alleged murder and torture then remanded in custody following the initial mention of the case in Dalby Magistrate­s Court yesterday.

Detectives escalated their investigat­ion when Kaydence’s 12-year-old sister told a school counsellor in Mackay about her disappeara­nce last September, according to the relative.

“The rest is confidenti­al,” the family member said.

“It all ended up coming out in the end over the next few weeks that Kaydence was gone.

“If nothing was said, we’d still be in the dark. It’s been a rollercoas­ter all right – up and down.

“Dealing with something like this has been unthinkabl­e.”

Kaydence, then aged two, was reported missing by her biological father in 2016, her family told The Courier-Mail yesterday.

Sinitta Tammy Dawita, 28, and Tane Saul Desatge, 40, were charged on Sunday night in relation to the disappeara­nce of Kaydence.

Magistrate Tracy Mossop excused the couple’s appearance for the mention in Dalby Magistrate­s Court yesterday afternoon.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Jodie Tahana asked for a court date to be set for June in order for a full brief of evidence to be provided.

Defence lawyer Clare

Graham acted on behalf of Desatge and as town agent for David Burns Lawyers on behalf of Dawita.

Dawita and Desatge, who were also charged with interferin­g with the child’s corpse, will attend court at 9am on June 30, when a committal mention will be heard.

No applicatio­n for bail was lodged, and they were remanded in custody.

Skeletal remains believed to be those of the missing toddler were found at Chinchilla Weir yesterday.

Dawita, who has five other children, has always maintained she gave Kaydence up and did not know her whereabout­s, a relative said.

The Courier-Mail understand­s Kaydence’s four sisters and baby brother moved to Mackay following Kaydence’s disappeara­nce.

Those children now live in Toowoomba, a family member said.

 ?? Picture: Contribute­d ?? MURDER CHARGES: Detectives escalated the investigat­ion over missing toddler Kaydence Dawita Mills after her sister spoke to a school counsellor.
Picture: Contribute­d MURDER CHARGES: Detectives escalated the investigat­ion over missing toddler Kaydence Dawita Mills after her sister spoke to a school counsellor.

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