Crystal Hanley pleads guilty to criminal neglect that caused the death of daughter Charlie Nowland

She vowed to fight the charges claiming it was what her daughter would have wanted but on the eve of trial she has admitted responsibility for the six-year-old’s death.

For nearly three years after 6-year-old Charlie Nowland’s death, her mother Crystal Leanne Hanley denied she had ever neglected her child.

Speaking to media after her arrest in 2023, Hanley said she would fight the criminal neglect and manslaughter charges “all the way” – and pleaded not guilty to causing the death of her beloved daughter.

She said fighting the charges would be “what Charlie would have wanted”.

But just a week before she was due to head to trial, Hanley held her head in her hands, sobbed, and admitted she was responsible for Charlie’s death.

Crystal Nowland mother of deceased six year old girl Charlie, pictured on July 21st, 2022. Picture: Tom Huntley

Charlie Nowland died in hospital in 2022. Picture: Supplied

Charlie, 6, died in hospital on July 15, 2022, after being found unresponsive at the family home. Her official cause of death was recorded as malnutrition.

In the days following, police announced Task Force Prime had been established to investigate the surroundings of her death. Hanley was subsequently charged.

She was released on bail, but after several breaches involving drug use, she was taken back into custody earlier this year.

In earlier court hearings, prosecutors said Charlie had been raised in a home deemed “squalid” and “uninhabitable for humans”.

In March last year, she pleaded not guilty to criminal neglect and manslaughter after the death of Charlie, as well as four counts of criminal neglect into the alleged treatment of other children.

Crystal Leanne Hanley, mother of deceased six year old girl Charlie leaves court after being released from custody 26 April 2023. Image/Russell Millard Photography,

Police said Charlie was living in squalid conditions. Picture: Supplied

On Wednesday in the South Australian Supreme Court, fighting back tears, Hanley pleaded guilty to three counts of criminal neglect – with prosecutors accepting those pleas and withdrawing the manslaughter charge.

The court heard she had neglected Charlie between April 1 2022 and July 17, 2022 and that she’d committed an offence of criminal neglect where the child died as a result of the act.

Sandra Patrick said she was relieved there would be no trial. Picture: Dean Martin

Her lawyer Chris Kummerow asked the court for a lengthy adjournment before sentencing submissions so he could have time to gather information about her history as a domestic violence victim.

Outside court, Charlie’s grandmother Sandra Patrick said she was relieved the matter would not head to trial.

“We’re glad it didn’t go to trial, because of the children,” she said.

“They don’t need to go through that all over again. They’ve had enough trauma in their lives.”

She said she didn’t want to speak about Charlie just yet, because it would “bring up too many memories”.

Hanley will remain in custody ahead of her next hearing in August.