Detectives reopen cold case murders of toddlers Lily Schettini and Dylan Lindsay as Government offers $1 million rewards
TWO defenceless babies bashed to death, suspects identified — but not enough evidence for a conviction. Now SA authorities are taking a drastic step to try and secure justice for Lily and Dylan.
LILY Schettini never had a chance.
Such was the force of the trauma to her tiny head, the 18-month-old toddler would succumb to a brain injury inflicted by someone who was meant to be caring for her.
Unconscious when found in her bed at a Smithfield Plains house on May 2, 2010, Lily could not be resuscitated despite the frantic attempts of neighbours and paramedics.
Even before her death, the cute curly-haired child was battling the odds.
The product of a broken relationship, she was being raised in a dysfunctional house that lacked the essentials required to raise a healthy child.
Major Crime detectives have four suspects — two considered more likely — but cannot prove which one of them was responsible for the injury that claimed Lily’s life.
While the injury that killed her could have been inflicted late on the previous evening, police believe it is more likely she was injured on the morning she was found.
Those present in the house on the Monday were Lily’s mother and three friends — two males and a female.
Lily’s mother and a female friend left the house at 9.30am on the Tuesday, leaving Lily and her older sister in the care of the two males.
Both children were in the same bedroom, in separate beds, at that time. About 11.30am, one of the males left the house.
Detective Senior Sergeant Mark McEachern said Lily was found in her bed by the remaining male, at 12.30pm, and was “unresponsive”.
Neighbours attempted to revive her and an ambulance was called. A post-mortem revealed she died of head trauma but the exact time the injury was inflicted is unknown.
The man who found her has told detectives he heard crying coming from the bedroom an hour earlier and he had gone and changed Lily’s nappy. She was conscious at that time.
“The trauma could have been caused either through shaking or assault or falling. Our suspicion is that she did not fall and that she was assaulted,’’ Det Snr-Sgt McEachern said.
“Someone in the house has been responsible for the assault either overnight Monday or Tuesday morning but we have insufficient evidence as to who.’’
While there had been no previous complaints or notifications to authorities concerning the care of the two children, Det Snr-Sgt McEachern said “any circumstances” where two children were left alone locked in a bedroom from the previous day until 12.30pm the next was a concern.
“There was a clear lack of care for both of the children, at least during the period we are looking at,’’ he said.
Police believe the $1 million reward could motivate witnesses.
“We would appeal for anyone with information, particularly from those who were at the house that night, to assist us,’’ he said.
“We are not convinced we have got truthful versions of what occurred that night.’’
The four suspects — who have never been charged — cannot be named for legal reasons.
Surprisingly, Lily’s mother has said she did not see her daughter on the Tuesday morning before she left the house, telling detectives she “did not want to wake her”.
“Mum could not really give us the last time she saw Lily alive before she left,’’ Det Snr-Sgt McEachern said.
Just like Lily Schettini, Port Lincoln infant Dylan Lindsay’s life was brutally cut short.
Aged almost 12 months, he died from horrific injuries including broken ribs, a bruised heart, a 5cm laceration to his liver and swelling to his brain.
Disturbingly, who ever bashed Dylan on the night of March 27, 2004, attempted to callously disguise his extensive injuries, crudely using a texta to try and mask the bruising to his abdomen.
While the two people who were caring for him that night — Frank Neil Kartinyeri and defacto wife Vickie Cherie Kent — were charged with his murder, the charges were later dropped because of a lack of evidence.
Detective Brevet Sergeant Mat Bengel said Dylan’s mother, Maryanne, left him with Kent, a school friend, and Kartinyeri, a cousin, at their Ellen St house on the afternoon of Saturday, March 27.
The arrangement was initially for a few hours only but she later asked them if they could care for him overnight.
Det Bvt-Sgt Bengel said while police had been provided with varying accounts of what happened, they believed Dylan was dropped off at Ellen St between 2pm and 6pm.
Kent told police she slept for several hours from 6pm and when she woke Dylan was “a bit whingy but fine’’.
A witness has told police that loud yelling from a male could be heard near the house about 2am on the Sunday.
On the night, three of Kent’s own children were also in the house, aged between two and 15.
At some stage Dylan had woken and Kartinyeri had changed his nappy, given him a bottle and resettled him. He had then slept in the same bedroom as Dylan.
Kent had approached Kartinyeri about 8am and said “something is wrong with Dylan’’ and an ambulance was called by neighbours.
The pair was charged with Dylan’s murder eight weeks later but, in February 2005, the charges were withdrawn because of a lack of evidence.
“On the face of it the public would say we had those responsible, what happened?’’ Det-Bvt-Sgt Bengel said.
“That is difficult to answer. If the evidence is not there, it isn’t there, but we are determined to resolve this.
“It is a horrible crime and somebody should be held responsible for taking the life of a child. Someone may have this on their conscience.’’