TIMELINE TO TRAGEDY
May 18: A concerned resident writes to the Gold Coast City Council about a homeless family in a park near Garfield Tce. “I’m very concerned about the welfare of a young couple with a baby that have been sleeping on the wooden platform ... They’ve been there the past three nights. Can you link them with some support please?”
A homeless services worker arrives but the family refuses shelter.
June: Police arrive at a park early one Saturday morning. Resident: “I called police to check the baby was not going to be released again with the family to sleep rough. A female services liaison officer from Surfers (Paradise) police said that Child Services were aware of the family’s situation but it was difficult to remove children and keep track when they are homeless.”
9.50am, Friday, November 16: A council worker calls police to a park in Broadbeach, concerned about a baby crying and adults yelling. Police attend and speak to the couple.
6pm same day: Police again attend the Broadbeach park and speak to the couple with two small children.
3am, Saturday, November 17: Police attend the Broadbeach park again. They allegedly find the father and mother in an intoxicated state and take the family to a relative’s house at Kingscliff. “Concerns were held for their ability to provide care and shelter for their children,” court documents allege. Midday Saturday: The family of four allegedly take a bus to Tweed Heads and spend the day in the vicinity of the Jack Evans Boat Harbour. It is alleged a woman is offered the baby but declines, saying: “I can’t do it, I’m living on the street.” 6.30pm: Heavy rain and a storm force the family to seek shelter in a Tweed shopping centre. Police allege CCTV footage shows a baby in trolley wearing only a nappy. They move to the mall car park where the father allegedly tells the mother he is going to give the baby to an elder, leaving the woman and her older son. He returns 30 minutes later. He is now accused of throwing the baby into the Tweed River. It is alleged the family, minus the baby, seeks shelter from the bad weather for several hours before getting on a bus for Broadbeach.
Sunday morning: Police allege numerous sightings of the family on CCTV around Broadbeach without the baby. 12.26am, Monday: Police go to a park at Broadbeach in relation to a domestic violence incident between the mother and father. 12.34am, Monday: A walker finds the baby’s body washed up on Surfers Paradise beach. Later that day, the two-year-old boy is removed from the family. The father and mother are questioned over the baby’s death. Tuesday: NSW Police take over the case.
Wednesday, November 21: Father fronts Southport court where he is accused abusing council staff. The court is also told he is a violent schizophrenic.
He is extradited to NSW that night and charged with the baby girl’s murder. The baby’s mother is in hospital receiving medical treatment. She is not charged. Thursday: Father appears in Tweed court. The case is adjourned to February 25.