Alleged state care child sex victim allegedly assaulted a second time

An alleged 13-year-old child rape victim who the Child Protection Minister assured would be provided with support has allegedly been the victim of a second sexual assault by another man.

The Child Protection Minister promised an alleged child rape victim that she would be supported just months before the 13-year-old girl, living under the state’s care, was allegedly sexually assaulted for a second time - by another man.

The revelation emerged as a police prosecutor told the Adelaide Magistrates Court the original charges against Golden Grove man Jayden Ramone McKenna may not be able to proceed.

The prosecutor on Thursday told Magistrate Roderick Jensen those charges were in limbo with the alleged victim, who lives with an intellectual disability, currently unable to provide a statement to police as she is counselled in the wake of the second allegations.

“The (girl) has now been the victim of further alleged sexual offending, and now there is the question as to whether or not she wishes to proceed,” the prosecutor said.

Jayden Ramone McKenna is facing charges of child sex abuse against a 13-year-old. Picture: Facebook

Child Protection Minister Katrine Hildyard. Picture NCA NewsWire / Emma Brasier.

“We need to give her time to recover.”

Mr McKenna is not connected in any way with the most recent sexual assault allegations.

Child Protection Minister Katrine Hildyard and the Department for Child Protection have stood by the protections they put in place to support the girl after the first allegations.

Charges were laid against 21-year-old Mr McKenna in May last year following allegations he groomed the girl on Snapchat before inviting her to his house and sexually abusing her three times over three days from April 30.

At the time, the Elizabeth Magistrates Court heard the young girl was under the care of the Department for Child Protection and was living in a non-government run group home.

In the aftermath of the court being told the allegations, Child Protection Minister Hildyard described the situation as “tragic” and said she would be ensuring the girl was supported.

“I have sought assurance from the department that this girl is being provided with all of the support that she needs at this terrible time and beyond,” she said.

“I have asked the department to urgently speak with this agency about the matter.”

Ms Hildyard on Friday said she had spoken to the department about the first set of allegations in May, and had been in contact with them “at other times” in order to “ensure measures were being taken to support” the girl.

Ms Hildyard stood by the processes that were put in place after the first allegation of sexual assault.

“I have been given assurances that this (support) has taken place, and that they have continued to receive support,” Ms Hildyard said.

A department spokeswoman said she would not comment on the detail of individual cases, but in a general statement said: “The department and its partner agencies ensure a range of services and supports are in place to best suit the individual needs of the child or young person.”

The court on Wednesday was told police were yet to make a charge determination for Mr McKenna, who was charged with three counts of having sex with a person under the age of 14.

No pleas have been entered to the charges, and Mr McKenna told the court her client had intellectual disabilities including ADHD, Asperger’s syndrome and autism.

He was initially denied an application for home detention before being granted bail a week later.

Mr McKenna is represented by Trish Johnson, who specialises in cases where a defendant’s mental competence is in question.