Baby Asha: Mother accused of burning girl on purpose

THE mother at the centre of an immigration storm has been interviewed by police after a guard claimed she admitted the girl was purposely injured to get to Australia.

THE mother of baby Asha was interviewed by police after a guard claimed she admitted the girl was purposely burnt to get to Australia.

Queensland police, who have no jurisdiction in Nauru — where the one-year-old received her injuries — will forward details of the investigation to Nauru officials, the Courier-Mail reported.

The mother rejected the allegations when interviewed by police at Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital in Brisbane on Friday.

Queensland Police confirmed they received a child protection notification but said yesterday the investigation had been finalised. Doctors also don’t believe she was purposely hurt.

The claims come as baby Asha spent her first night in community detention as mystery continues to surround her whereabouts and future.

The one-year-old’s family made contact with lawyers yesterday, but only after the Human Rights Law Centre (HRLC) publicly complained about a three-day communication void, which it claimed was imposed by Border Force authorities.

“It’s a matter of basic fairness and due process that vulnerable people are able to speak with their lawyers,” HRLC legal advocacy director Daniel Webb said.

“We hope the government respects these principles in the future.”

The HRLC said its lawyers were still unable to disclose the infant’s whereabouts after she was discharged from Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital early yesterday.

Mr Dutton has repeatedly warned the family will be returned to Nauru when their legal and medical issues are finalised.

Protesters, who maintained a vigil outside the hospital to support doctors who refused to discharge the baby until acceptable accommodation was identified, have vowed to mobilise again if the government attempts to send the family offshore.

Peter Dutton speaks after Asha’s release from the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital.