‘He suffered extensive injuries, they were horrific and they were visible from head to toe’

MASON Lee was only 21-months-old when he died. Covered in serious injuries, police say they would have been inflicted over a long time. Who did it?

Mason Lee was found dead with injuries from ‘head to toe’.

WHEN police arrived at the Caboolture home of Mason Lee the 21-month-old was already dead. And likely had been for many hours.

His little body was found at 12.30am on June 11 by officers summoned to the home by a 000 call. His “horrific” injuries were immediately obvious.

“He suffered extensive injuries, they were horrific and they were visible from head to toe,” Detective Acting Inspector Ben Fadian told media on Monday, following the results of a post-mortem.

Insp Fadian could not reveal the nature of the injuries, but there was enough detail to provide a glimpse into the final, agonising days of Mason’s life.

“While we are awaiting the pathology results, we can say Mason may have been sick or injured for up to a week before he died.”

“There were some Triple 0 calls received that night at about 12.30am, but ... we believe he may have been deceased for some time before those Triple 0 calls.”

Mason Lee.

The injuries were unlikely to be the result of an accident and appeared to have been inflicted over weeks or months, Insp Fadian said.

“We believe the injuries were deliberately inflicted and deliberately caused,” he said.

Mason would have been visibly unwell and Insp Fadian appealed for anyone with information to come forward, reported AAP.

The symptoms would have included lethargy, vomiting and not eating his food.

“We’re trying to piece together not only what happened on that night but also in the months leading up to Mason’s death,” he said. “We need to know if he was harmed, sick or injured any time this year.”

Detective Acting Inspector Ben Fadian says Mason may have been injured or sick for up to a week before his death.

A team comprising detectives from the Child Trauma Taskforce, the Homicide Investigations Unit and local detectives are investigating the case, which has been called “complex and detailed”.

So far police had spoken to 40 people but Insp Fadian said investigators were keeping an open mind.

Mason’s mother’s ex-boyfriend, Andrew William O’Sullivan, was questioned for 18 hours and then released.

He told the Nine Network he was the one who made the emergency call.

Andrew William O’Sullivan.

“All the air was going in [to Mason] but nothing was coming out,” he said.

His home is now being treated as a crime scene, with forensic officers removing items for testing and combing the property.

Mason lived at another address with his mother, but it has been reported that he hadn’t been with his mum in the days leading to his death.

He denied doing anything to hurt him. “Of course not, I loved him,” he said through tears.

Mason’s mother, Ann-Marie Lee, told Seven News: “It’s so bad, I can’t understand it.”

“He was just beautiful, he was, just so gentle.”

She told Seven she wanted to know what happened. “I want answers, I want justice for my son.”

Insp Fadian asked for anyone with information about the night Mason died or about him to speak up.

“We know Mason was part of a big family in the Caboolture area and he was known to many people and associates throughout the area through his family.”

He told Nine police were especially interested in videos, images or CCTV footage showing Mason this year, including any of him at the Morayfield and Caboolture shops in the week before his death.

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