Baby Ebony did not have to die: Coroner’s damning findings slam welfare authorities

CHILD welfare authorities have been slammed by a coroner for repeatedly failing baby Ebony, the four-month-old girl “brutalised” to death by her teenage drug-abusing father.

A coronial inquest is being held into the death of baby Ebony. She died, aged 4 months, on or about November 8, 2011. Her death went unreported for a week. Source: Facebook.

CHILD welfare authorities in two states have been slammed by a coroner for repeatedly failing baby Ebony, the four-month-old girl who was “mercilessly and serially brutalised” to death by her teenage drug-abusing father.

South Australian Deputy Coroner Anthony Schapel said NSW Family and Community Services failed to alert Families SA when they learnt the mother had run away to Adelaide from her home in country NSW with Ebony’s father Bradley Napier-Tucker.

Ebony’s mum, who was just 17 when she gave birth, was a ward of the state and cannot be identified.

Baby Ebony’s death went unreported for a week / Picture: Facebook

Mr Schapel said Families SA should have been told Napier-Tucker had a history of child abuse.

In finding that Ebony’s death could have been prevented, the coroner called for a nationwide database of child protection cases as well as an automatic transfer of guardianship, custody and parental responsibility across state and territory lines.

“What did transpire between SA and NSW in that regard in essence amounted to missed opportunities to identify significant risk factors that existed in Ebony’s environment,” Mr Schapel said.

“I refer to her father’s alleged propensities towards small children which were at no stage made known to the South Australian authorities,” Mr Schapel said.

Baby Ebony with her father Bradley Napier-Tucker.

He said it was an “egregious oversight” that Families SA did not contact welfare authorities in NSW about the father’s history.

In her short life, Ebony suffered 48 broken ribs, two broken arms and a broken leg before she was given her final and fatal beating.

Ebony died on November 8 but her body lay wrapped in a blanket in her cot for a week before her parents reported it.

The couple were charged with murder but the charges were downgraded and both pleaded guilty to criminal neglect.

Napier-Tucker was jailed for nine years and will be available for parole in 2019.

Ebony’s mother, who was placed on a two-year good-behaviour, said yesterday she had lived in fear of her former partner but did not know of his history of child abuse.

“If Families SA actually connected with me and told me about (his) background, I would have left straight away,” she said outside court. “I didn’t witness any abuse or anything like that. I believe my daughter would still be alive today if they did act.

“She was my little princess. She was always smiling. I miss her every day.”

Baby Ebony’s coffin, with a photograph of her mother / Picture: Supplied

In finding that baby Ebony’s death could have been prevented, the coroner called for a nationwide database of child protection cases.

Originally published as Baby Ebony did not have to die: Coroner’s damning findings slam welfare authorities