Federal investigation probes fraud claims against 12-year-old murder accused’s carers

Allegations a residential care provider faked qualifications for staff have sparked a federal investigation after a 12-year-old girl under its watch was accused of stabbing a woman to death.

A residential care provider responsible for looking after a 12-year-old girl charged with murder could face more than $1m in fines if they are found to have committed federal fraud by faking workers’ qualifications.

The Herald Sun can reveal that its exclusive report in February, which detailed a slew of allegations of fraud and neglect against the provider the girl was living with at the time of the alleged killing, has prompted an investigation by the national education regulator.

It comes after a court heard in January that the drug-affected 12-year-old girl stabbed a 37-year-old woman to death in a Footscray apartment on November 16, before witnesses found the child in a hallway with blood on her bare feet.

That child had reportedly run away from care about 275 times in three years and had been repeatedly sexually abused.

Police at the scene outside the Royal Hotel in Footscray. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

The Australian Skills Quality Authority’s (ASQA’s) investigation will probe allegations that the girl’s care provider created fake training certificates for its staff that stated they were qualified to look after wards of the state before the operator began housing vulnerable children in its Victorian properties in August 2022.

Victoria Police and the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission are also investigating claims of a lack of supervision and failing to provide wards of the state with enough food made against the organisation, which has not been named for legal reasons.

The 12-year-old girl was allegedly found at the scene with blood on her feet and ankles. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

The provider is facing at least $1.5m in fines if the national regulator finds that it faked the qualification documents, which, when seen by the Herald Sun, were riddled with grammatical and spelling errors.

Former workers at the facility have told the Herald Sun they never underwent any additional training before its directors handed them the certificates from an academy that did not exist according to the federal register.

One former staff member previously said the provider had provided substandard care for the vulnerable children, who have all since been removed from their care and rehoused.

“I told them someone was going to die if nothing was done. I didn’t want to be right,” they said.

Police at the Footscray apartment block where the woman was stabbed. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

An ASQA spokesman said the regulator took seriously any allegations about Australian education providers.

“ASQA has the legislative powers to collect, investigate, gather evidence and take action in response to alleged fraudulent conduct of a non-registered training organisation under the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act,” the spokesman said.

Victoria’s Commissioner for Children and Young People is also investigating the 12-year-old murder ­accused’s circumstances.

The providers did not respond to requests for comment from the Herald Sun.