‘They don’t give a sh*t’: Warning of crime in tribute to slain teen

A former teen car thief has spoken out against a failing child safety system and warned of further crimes by youths in an angry reaction to hateful social media comments about the boy killed in an alleged stolen car crash.

A CAIRNS man with first-hand experience of juvenile justice system has warned vehicle rip-offs will now go through the roof in angry reaction to racist and hateful social media comments.

On Monday a 14-year-old boy died in an allegedly stolen car on Pease St after crashing at high speed into a tree, near the Saltwater Creek bridge.

He was one of six juvenile occupants ranging in ages from 12 to 15.

Scene of a fatal traffic crash at Manoora, where an allegedly stolen Toyota Yaris left Pease Street near the Saltwater Creek bridge and crashed into a tree. A 14-year-old boy was declared dead at the scene, and five other children aged 12 to 15 were taken to Cairns Hospital. Picture: Brendan Radke

Rob Salafia was nine-years-old when his mother was struck down with multiple sclerosis and sent to a special care facility. He said his dad wanted nothing to do with him.

Without a role model, responsible supervision and love, his life spiralled out of control.

“I had to fend for myself,” he said.

Open about his younger years spent running amok and stealing cars, Mr Salafia spent time in one of New South Wales’ most notorious facilities for children with behavioural disorders – Kendall Grange, which closed in 2000.

Understanding the youth crime epidemic was a complex issue Mr Salafia said, underpinning many youth justice problems was a state-orchestrated lack of accountability.

“The rules that child safety have to work under is the source of the problem,” he said.

“By choice, the system allows them to avoid discipline in the house.”

Mr Salafia slammed the residential care system as a way out for troubled teens to avoid taking responsibility for their actions.

Carers in residential care have no authority to stop children breaking the law and taking drugs and are simply required to log any child absconding from the property after dark, Mr Salafia said.

Foster parents are also bound by strict rules that leave children in care without boundaries.

“They don’t give a sh*t because we’re are now in a society that says 14-year-old girls can go and live in residential care,” he said.

Denise Weazael of Manoora lays some flowers at the scene of the crash. Picture: Brendan Radke

“Legally you can’t move out until you’re 18 but at 14 you can move out if there is violence or sexual harassment.

“At the end of the day all these guys are under the guidance of government rules.”

Compounding the issue was a lack of understanding and racism within the wider community.

“I understand how racism is in our society and as much as we like to believe it’s not, it’s still very, very racist,” he said.

He believes that rather than act as a deterrent to wayward Cairns youth, the alleged stolen car crash is likely to galvanise teen contempt of the law and disregard of values held by law-abiding citizens.

“There’s a massive, massive backstory and people need to understand the real problem is you have kids on Facebook reading these comments saying ‘we’ll show these b**tards’,” he said.

“In tribute to him, they will be out in stolen cars tonight.”

Follow @petercarruther1

Originally published as ‘They don’t give a sh*t’: Warning of crime in tribute to slain teen