Mum in drug strife
A MOTHER on bail over the alleged manslaughter of her two children has been hit with new drug charges after police found marijuana plants in her home.
Leeanne Chrysillia Eatts, 50, did not appear in Townsville Magistrates Court on Monday morning when her lawyer applied for her to remain on strict bail conditions over three fresh charges.
Eatts is already facing a string of 14 other offences, including two counts of manslaughter over the deaths of her two young sons in 2019.
Barak Austral, 5, and Jhulio Sariago, 3, died on February 25, 2019, after they wandered away from the family home a couple of weeks after the Townsville floods.
The boys were found dead just metres apart in the Ross River hours later.
Eatts has been on bail wearing a GPS tracking bracelet since her release from custody in July 2019.
Police will allege the fresh charges relate to four marijuana plants officers recently found at Eatts’ Cranbrook house.
The mother-of-five’s defence lawyer Phil Rennick said Ms Eatts was from a “well-respected” family, and she was supported in court by her mother who sat in the front row listening intently to the proceedings.
Mr Rennick argued Eatts had abided by her strict bail conditions for more than two years, and she should be afforded bail.
“The risk of reoffending is minimal … (the new charges are) not offences in which she’s looking at going to jail,” Mr Rennick said.
Magistrate Viviana Keagan agreed and granted Eatts’ bail.
Her appearance has been excused for her next court mention on September 28.
Mr Rennick said the manslaughter charges were expected to proceed to a higher court in “coming months”.
The two boys disappeared on the afternoon of
February 25 and police issued an Amber Alert six hours later.
A CCTV camera on a Brett St house captured their last moments alive, walking barefoot along the road and out of view.
Their bodies were pulled from the river the next morning after a desperate search involving 100 volunteers and a helicopter.
Eatts was arrested a few days later and refused bail twice, before being granted bail five months after the deaths.