Department of Child Protection must take some blame for death of Charlie, neighbours say

Neighbours of six-year-old Charlie have savaged the Child Protection Department, saying it should have done more to help the family before the little girl’s death.

A neighbour of a six-year-old girl who died after a case of alleged criminal neglect says the little girl “slipped through the cracks” and the Department for Child Protection should take some of the blame.

Charlie was taken to the Lyell McEwin Hospital by paramedics on Friday, after being found unresponsive at her Munno Para home.

Police have been investigating the circumstances of Charlie’s death since Friday and have since declared it a major crime.

A top-level review of how multiple government agencies dealt with the family in the lead-up to her death has been launched and will run simultaneously.

Charlie’s neighbours, who have asked to remain anonymous, spoke out on Tuesday, accusing the Department for Child Protection of not helping the family enough and said the system had “failed her”.

One of the neighbours of Charlie speaks to media after police announced a criminal investigation into her death. Picture: Brenton Edwards

One neighbour said the family had “slipped through the cracks” and they would remember Charlie as a fighter whose death might bring focus on her living conditions.

“If it wasn’t for Charlie, none of this would have come to pass, none of this would have been realised,” they said.

“The system failed her, absolutely failed her. It’s not good enough. None of this is good enough.

“Charlie should be remembered as a warrior, as a fighter. She was loved by everyone on the street. She was a beautiful little girl. We need justice for Charlie.”

Charlie, 6, died after suspected alleged neglect at her Munno Para home.

“I just can’t believe that she’s gone … I can’t fathom that she won’t be walking down the road with her brothers and sisters, that she won’t spend another Christmas with her family, won’t celebrate another birthday … she won’t get to walk down the aisle, she won’t get to grow old.

“Her whole life was ripped from her.”

Another of Charlie’s neighbours, said Department for Child Protection had to take some of the blame for her death.

“There was a lot more that they could have actually done to provide the support, the help, and offered a lot more,” they said.

“I think DCP should be held accountable for some of what’s happened regarding this because this shouldn’t have happened at all – and I feel like they’ve let that family down and now all the blame’s going straight on to the mother, yet they could have some a lot more to support the family.”

Neighbours in Munno Para have spoken to media on Tuesday afternoon. Picture: Brenton Edwards

The neighbour believed Charlie’s death was avoidable had DCP intervened earlier.

Like many residents on the quiet street, they were heartbroken at Charlie’s death.

“I love those kids,” they said. “I’ve lived on the street for so long … what do you really say in a moment like this other than try and support everyone?

“We tried to do our best for Charlie, we tried to be there for her, we tried everything we could and everything’s gone down hill.”

Another of Charlie’s neighbours speaks to media. Picture: Brenton Edwards

They also said Charlie’s mother was distraught over the death of her child.

“I’ve never seen a parent like that before. Seeing her like that made me realise DCP should have supported her a lot more better than what they had.”

The neighbour remembers Charlie as the “most beautiful little girl I’ve ever seen in my life”.

“(She was) so full of smiles, so happy, absolutely loved seeing everybody,” they said.

“She loved having everybody come and see her. She loved mucking around with her sisters and her brothers. She loved her mum dearly. She loved coming over and seeing us. Absolutely amazing little girl and not seeing her smile anymore is what really gets you at the end of the day.”