SOFT ON CHILD KILLERS

PENALTIES for child killers in Queensland are being labelled “a soft cop out”, as new statistics reveal shocking numbers of defenceless young children are reported to be victims of murder or manslaughter every year.

Since 2012, as least 24 babies and toddlers ( under the age of four) have been reported to police as victims of murder or manslaughter.

The figures come amid renewed calls for a Royal Commission into child protection and for special sentencing provisions that would allow judges to impose tougher sentences on child killers.

Child safety advocate and Bravehearts founder Hetty Johnston was not surprised by the figures, but remained horrified at the number of children killed in Queensland.

She made a renewed plea for a Royal Commission into the family law system and described it as “carnage”.

“We can’t continue to tinker at the edges of what is a totally broken system,” she said.

Ms Johnston said it was time for the country’s politicians to set politics aside and insisted a Royal Commission was the “only legal instrument capable of getting to the truth”.

“You cannot fix something unless you know where it’s broken,” she said.

Daniel Morcombe Foundation chief executive Holly Brennan said the number of child victims was “too high”.

“It’s quite shocking how young some of these children are,” she said.

“We certainly advocate for any laws that respond to the needs of the families who are left behind, but we would rather prevent.”

A spokeswoman for Attorney- General Yvette D’ath said the government recognised that violent acts against children were deplorable.