Cater Care CEO responds to claims Rockhampton mother was sacked after toddler died

The catering company that allegedly sacked a young mother after she ran from her shift at a Queensland airport upon news her daughter had drowned has not made any contact with the relevant aviation body, it has been revealed.

A family photo including Tahlia Brown (right) holding daughter Taidyn “Totty” Murphy. Totty drowned in a spa at the family's home at Gracemere in Central Queensland.

The catering company at the centre of the reported sacking of a woman who had just been told her daughter drowned – for breaching security requirements at an airport – says it’s considering employment options for her.

On September 19, Tahlia Brown ran through Rockhampton airport security, sobbing and screaming, while on the phone to her 12-year-old daughter who had just informed her of her youngest daughter’s drowning.

It is understood Ms Brown was working at Cater Care’s Rockhampton Airport operation when her daughter Taidyn Murphy climbed into a spa bath at her family’s home in Gracemere, near Rockhampton, and drowned.

Supplied image of Taidyn "Totty" Murphy who drowned in the family spa.

A month on from the drowning, Ms Brown claims she has not been offered any shifts since causing a supposed security breach, and had been told by an employer at Cater Care ”it’s not looking good” and to “look for work elsewhere”.

A Cater Care spokesman on Monday said management was aware of the circumstances.

“Cater Care is bound by the ASIC (Aviation Security) security requirements and this is being considered as part of our process,” the spokesman said.

However the department of home affairs, which regulates security arrangements at airports, said it had no contact with Cater Care regarding the incident.

Cater Care told The Courier-Mail it had not terminated Ms Brown’s casual employment.

“We will continue to consider employment options for Tahlia outside of Rockhampton Airport.”

Ms Brown said she’d been entirely left in the dark.

“I just want to know what’s going on so I can plan what to do next,” she said.