‘Heartbreak for my girl’: Mum’s social post on little Charlie’s 6th birthday

Charlie’s mum has revealed a recent birthday call between her daughter and jailed dad was cancelled, with the six-year-old upset he couldn’t watch her blow out the candles. Watch the birthday video

In a touching Facebook post last month, Charlie’s mum Crystal Nowland blamed Mount Gambier Prison for not allowing her daughter to have a video call with her father on her sixth birthday.

“My heart is breaking so much watching my baby girl being upset, especially on her birthday,” Ms Nowland wrote on June 24.

“MGP cancelled her zoom birthday visit with her daddy. So Charlie doesn’t get to show her presents or unwrap some presents with her daddy and do birthday cake with him. F@#k you MGP”.

A video of family singing happy birthday to Charlie was posted to social media. Picture: Supplied

The social media post by Charlie's mum on June 24. Picture: Supplied

A source told The Advertiser on Thursday that the scheduled call was cancelled because Charlie’s father was a Covid close contact and was unable to be in the communal area where calls were usually made.

The source also said Charlie’s father was able to speak with Charlie between her birthday and her death on Friday.

On Thursday morning, The Advertiser exclusively revealed six-year-old Charlie suffered from coeliac disease, a digestive illness that causes malnutrition.

Neighbours who fought to save six-year-old Charlie’s life in the minutes before her death have defended the girl’s mother, say she was failed by the state when she needed it most.

Charlie’s mother Crystal Nowland leaves the Munno Para house on Wednesday. Picture: Russell Millard

Six-year-old Charlie pictured sleeping next to photos of her dad. Picture: Supplied

They say Crystal, who was seen in public on Wednesday for the first time since Charlie’s death in the early hours of Friday morning, was let down by the state when she “needed help”.

On Wednesday The Advertiser revealed that Charlie witnessed her “drug-fuelled” father, John, stab her mother in a horrific attack in January 2021.

It has been revealed little Charlie suffered from a digestive illness that causes malnutrition. Picture: Supplied

Neighbours say they want answers for what’s happened to Charlie. Picture: Supplied

Despite the seriousness of the criminal case, which saw Charlie’s father initially charged with attempted murder, and a history of domestic violence and drug use, the young girl was not removed.

The neighbours on Wednesday said the decision to not remove Charlie after that incident was “despicable”.

“The fact that nothing was done to remove those kids in that predicament is also tragic and disgusting as well,” one said.

“We want answers for what’s happened to Charlie.”