Coroners inquiry into Kaydence Mills’ death delayed as stepdad appeala murder conviction

A coroner’s inquiry into the death of a two-year-old, whose broken body lay forgotten in an unmarked grave for longer than she was alive, has been delayed while her alleged killer appeals his conviction.

Kaydence Mills wouls have turned 11 in September 2025.

Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this distressing article includes the name and image of a person who has died.

A coroner’s inquiry will be launched into the death of a vulnerable Queensland toddler who was unknowingly missing for years before anyone began looking for her.

Kaydence Mills’ family last saw the toddler in late 2016 when her mother and stepfather relocated from Tully in North Queensland to a small Western Downs town about 160km west of Toowoomba.

Kaydence was known to the Department of Child Safety, who last visited her on the day she relocated to Chinchilla.

Kaydence Mills and her mother Sinitta about four months before the toddler’s death. Picture: File / Supplied

In March 2020, undercover detectives found the two-year-old’s body wrapped in garbage bags in an unmarked grave on the banks of the Condamine River.

Her caregivers, Sinitta Dawita and Tane Desatge, stood trial for Kaydence’s alleged murder in September 2024.

Raised in the system from birth, Kaydence was then placed in their care about four to five months before police alleged she was tortured, beaten, and killed.

Dawita was found not guilty of causing her little girl’s death, however she was convicted of interfering with a corpse.

The 32-year-old was released from custody on what should have been Kaydence’s 10th birthday, Monday, September 23, 2024.

Desatge was found guilty of the murder and torture of the little girl, however he is in the process of appealing his convictions and 22-year jail term.

44-year-old Tane Desatge.

A Coroners Court spokesman said the inquiry into Kaydence’s death could not begin until Desatge’s appeal was finalised.

“As Mr Desatge has appealed his conviction relating to Kaydence’s death, the Coroners Act prevents the Coroner from starting the inquest until the end of the appeal proceedings,” he said.

The spokesman could not say when the injury was likely to begin.

“The matter will proceed to inquest at a date to be determined,” he said.

An investigation into the Child Safety orders, policy, and processes Kaydence should have been subject to revealed she should not have been in the care of her mother and stepfather.

The two-year-old’s Intervention Parental Agreement required the department to visit Kaydence, which was aggravated by the fact that she and her mother relocated away from friends and family.

On December 3, 2019, metres away from the Warrego Highway investigators cordoned off the little girl’s home where they excavated a shed in the backyard and drained the water tank. Picture: Peta McEachern.

Given Kaydence’s circumstances, the department should have regained custody of the child as her “risk level” exceeded the guidelines of an IPA.

Following the criminal trial in late 2024, former child safety worker Vishal Chandani called for an inquiry into Kaydence’s death, stating the “broken” system was “festering in a culture of failure and secrecy,”.

“So what, 15 years after (Kaydence) passes away ‘maybe’ then government will comment? And by then we’ll have how many government changes? The minister probably won’t be there anymore, so who holds them accountable?” He said.

“And the question still stands, why such a strong response to Mason (Lee’s) death, where is the same level of response to Kaydence’s death?”

“Shouldn’t we honour the children that die in these circumstances by learning from what’s happened to them and then trying to prevent it from happening to another child?

“A year after Mason Lee happened … I was literally sitting across from senior leaders in the department to say we’d learned from Mason and then the same things had happened to her.

“She isn’t the only one.”

Former child safety worker Vishal Chandani. Picture: Kevin Farmer

The accredited social worker said children within the overburdened system will continue to suffer unless there is a major restructure and overhaul of the child safety system.

“We need to look at the systems that are allowing these errors to occur because that is actually the problem, not these poor individuals that are inexperienced (and) overworked,” he said.

“Outcomes for kids in care are as bad as they have ever been,” he said.

“We have more kids coming into care every year.

“We have the overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander increasing despite having closing the gap objectives.

“What part of this system isn’t failing at the moment? What part system isn’t in crisis?”

When Kaydence’s body was found, her father Mr Mills, told the Courier-Mail he first raised concerns for her welfare soon after she reunified.

Struggling to come to terms with his daughter’s horrific death, Mr Mills said he was shattered to lay his little girl to rest, but was thankful that she was found and at peace at home in Tully.

He continued to make reports because he held grave concerns for his daughter, with the last complaint made eight months before Kaydence’s remains were found.

Mr Mills believes his repeated requests made to the department about his daughter’s wellbeing were not taken seriously because of his criminal past, and the colour of her skin.

“Complaints with Child Safety, I want them to take it more seriously,” he said.

“No one has listened. No one took it seriously.”

Originally published as Coroners inquiry into Kaydence Mills’ death delayed as stepdad appeala murder conviction