Makai Wanganeen died of untreated pneumonia, sepsis court told as his father Shane is released on bail

A father accused of causing the death of his son through “gross negligence” has been released on bail as new details of the death of the seven-year-old are aired in court.

A father accused of causing the death of his child through negligence has been granted bail in the Adelaide Magistrates Court as new details of the allegations against him are revealed.

Shane Wanganeen, 50, was arrested last week along with two other people also accused of the manslaughter of the children in their care.

The arrests followed a protracted investigation by Major Crime detectives into the unrelated deaths of three children – Charlie Nowland, 6 and Makai Wanganeen, 7, who died last year, and Jasmine Wilmott, 14, who died in 2018.

Mr Wanganeen, the father of Makai, was charged with a single count of manslaughter and refused police bail.

Makai Wanganeen died aged 7 Picture: Supplied

Shane Wanganeen at the gravesite of his son Makai Wanganeen at Smithfield cemetery. Picture: Supplied

On Thursday he appeared before Magistrate Michael Barnett to ask for release on bail.

Julia Davey, for Mr Wanganeen, told the court her client would be “strenuously contesting” the charges and because of the complexity of the case risked being behind bars for several years before trial.

A prosecutor opposed the bail application, saying the allegations against Mr Wanganeen were too serious for him to be released into the community.

Mr Barnett granted Mr Wanganeen bail on strict conditions.

In his reasons for releasing Mr Wanganeen on bail Mr Barnett aired the allegations against the man for the first time.

He said Makai had died of pneumonia of both lungs as well as treatment resistant sepsis.

On February 7, 2022, Makai was taken to a GP where he was diagnosed with constipation. The prosecution alleges Mr Wanganeen was told to take Makai to hospital if his conditions worsened.

The case against Mr Wanganeen is that in the intervening days he was “grossly negligent” as to the health of his son.

Makai passed away on February 10 at 6.11pm.

He was living with Mr Wanganeen at the time of his death and had been in his care since November 2020.

Makai died on February 10 after earlier being taken to Lyell McEwin Hospital then transferred to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital with severe stomach pains.

Last year, Major Crime officer-in-charge Detective Superintendent Des Bray said that while Makai’s death was unusual, suspicions had not initially been aroused because a post-mortem had identified several serious health issues.

Mr Wanganeen will return to court in August.