Tahlia Brown fired from Cater Care following Taidyn ‘Totty’ Murphy’s Rockhampton spa drowning

A grieving Queensland mother who ran from her job after finding out that her baby daughter had drowned in a spa at home has been sacked.

A Queensland mum claims she has been sacked for breaching “security requirements” of an airport she works at for a catering company, after being told her young daughter had drowned.

On September 19, Tahlia Brown clocked on to her shift for Cater Care at the Rockhampton airport at 10am.

About 10.56am, her 12-year-old daughter rang, sobbing on the other end of the line, trying to explain Ms Brown’s 17-month-old had been found in the family’s spa unconscious.

It is understood Taidyn “Totty” Murphy climbed into a spa bath at her family’s home in Gracemere, near Rockhampton, and drowned.

“It’s a bit of a blur but I remember yelling and crying,” Ms Brown said.

“I ran straight through security while on the phone and was begging for anyone to give me a lift home.

Taidyn “Totty” Murphy drowned in a spa at the family’s Gracemere home. Picture: Supplied

“I was crying and screaming and begging them to please take me home because my baby girl was dying.”

Ms Brown said her partner, Totty’s father, Cecil Murphy, had dropped her at work that morning.

An airport cleaner eventually noticed Ms Brown and drove the distressed mother home to her dying toddler.

The family had attempted CPR before driving Totty to Gracemere police station for help, where police also attempted CPR.

An ambulance then took her to hospital, where she was placed into an induced coma and flown to Brisbane Children’s Hospital.

The family drove from Rockhampton to Brisbane that night.

Baby Totty died in hospital about 6.43am on Tuesday, September 20 in her mother’s arms.

Tahlia Brown with daughter Taidyn “Totty” Murphy. Picture: Supplied

Ms Brown said she received a text message from her boss that day saying “my heart goes out to you’.”

“I rang them that afternoon to tell them what happened,” she said.

“I told them I didn’t know when I’d be back at work yet.”

Ms Brown claims she reached out to her employer three times on September 23 and October 5 and 7 in regards to her shifts.

“I wanted to get out of the house and wanted to get back for money and to distract myself from the heartbreak,” she said.

“They said they’d have to get back to me.”

Ms Brown claims on October 13 she was called and told her position “wasn’t looking good”. She was told that while she was technically still employed, she should start looking for work elsewhere.

“I haven’t heard anything since then and it’s just been devastating,” she said.

She claims she was offered a reference but was told by her work that because she ran through security with her phone in her hand it was a security breach.

“What did they expect me to do? My baby was dead,” Ms Brown said.

Taidyn “Totty” Murphy. Picture: Supplied

“I’m disgusted and saddened by it … I’d done what any mother would have done.

“No parent can tell me they wouldn’t have done the same thing.

“I would have run through hot coals and done anything to get there to her and be with her.”

The past few weeks have been horrific for Ms Brown, who now has no means of providing for her family.

“I try to get out of the house because I just don’t want to be at home where it happened … every memory that we have of her is here at our house,” she said.

“The other children aren’t coping.

“She was cremated and we had some of her ashes placed inside teddy bears for the three kids … so they’ve been carrying around their ‘Totty Teddies’.”

Tahlia Brown with daughter Taidyn “Totty” Murphy. Picture: Supplied

Rockhampton Regional Council chief executive Evan Pardon offered his condolences on behalf of council and confirmed it played no part in her employment decision.

“I can confirm that council and the airport was not part of any employment decision made by a private company in regards to their staff – it was a decision made by the business,” Mr Pardon said.

“I want to extend our heartfelt sorrow to the family for their loss.”

A Cater Care spokesman said management was aware of the circumstances affecting Ms Brown and “have been supporting her through this difficult time”.

“We have an internal process that we are committed to follow to ensure a fair and just review and assessment of this situation,” he said.

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

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