Brooke Logan Fitzgerald faces Brisbane court for stealing child to ‘play mummy and daddy’

A mother whose baby girl was taken from a Brisbane car park by a stranger who wanted to “play mummy and daddy” has described how she has been haunted by one thing the thief said to her when she chased her down.

Brooke Fitzgerald. Picture: Facebook

A mother whose baby girl was stolen by a stranger who wanted to “play mummy and daddy” has described how she has since been haunted by the child thief’s claims she was a “bad mother”.

Brooke Logan Fitzgerald, 32, faced Brisbane District Court on Tuesday for stealing a car that contained an 18-month girl during the mother’s costly “moment of inattention”.

The girl’s mother described in a victim impact statement at Fitzgerald’s sentence how she had since struggled with the “constant thought” that she had failed her daughter.

The court heard how the woman had left her 18-month old daughter in the back seat of her car after she arrived at a Spring Hill address on November 5, 2023.

Judge John Coker said the child had only just fallen asleep, so the mother had decided not to wake her and parked her car in a position where she could watch over it.

“Whilst it’s clear she had a clear view of the car and continued as best she could to monitor it, as is so often the case in a moment of inattention, the approach was made by you (Fitzgerald),” Judge Coker said.

Fitzgerald, who was not known to her victims, took the car and drove away with the little girl still in the back seat.

The court heard she had intended to take the girl home and “play mummy and daddy”.

Judge Coker said the mother was able to quickly trace the car and follow after Fitzgerald, borrowing her friend’s car.

When the mother confronted Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald had “expressed some dismay at her leaving the child in the car,” Judge Coker noted.

Brooke Fitzgerald took the woman’s car and drove away with the little girl still in the back seat. Picture: Facebook

He said Fitzgerald had also stated that she “deserved to be a mother”, and that the child’s mother didn’t.

In the mother’s victim impact statement, she described how Fitzgerald’s words had haunted her.

“I almost believed you when you told me I was a bad mum – that I failed my daughter, that I didn’t deserve her,” Judge Coker quoted.

Judge Coker said to the mother’s “great credit”, her statement showed compassion and understanding for Fitzgerald’s circumstances.

“Your story of addiction and abuse does not excuse but perhaps illuminates the pain behind your choices,” he quoted.

The court had been told how Fitzgerald had experienced a “troubled” and “disadvantaged” upbringing.

Judge Coker said Fitzgerald had experienced “a revolving door of imprisonment and addiction” since she was introduced to alcohol and drugs.

Fitzgerald had been on parole at the time of the incident for various offences including drug trafficking, which she would still be serving an eight year and three month sentence for until February 2026, the court was told.

The court heard Fitzgerald had more recently struggled with schizophrenia, which she had claimed to have been experiencing symptoms of on the date of her offending.

Fitzgerald had since worked on her mental health and rehabilitation after being returned to custody, the court heard.

Judge Coker said Fitzgerald’s offending was “obviously of great concern for the community”.

“For the mother, it must have been absolutely horrifying and a real terror by her as a result of seeing the child gone.”

Fitzgerald pleaded guilty on September 19 to one count of child stealing.

She was sentenced to 18 months jail, to be served cumulatively on top of the sentence she was already serving.

Judge Coker declared her immediately eligible to apply for parole, noting he considered the parole board to be the “best persons” to judge her rehabilitation progress.