Alleged killer parent released on bail despite ‘squalid’ home concerns

A mother charged with the manslaughter of her young daughter has again been released on bail, despite the looming threat of her being evicted from her home.

The mother of a child who died after living in “squalid” conditions has again been released on bail after being rearrested for drug offending, amid the looming threat of her being evicted from her property.

On Monday, Crystal Leanne Hanley, 47, faced the Adelaide Magistrates Court charged with breaching bail conditions.

The court heard that on May 19, less than a month after her release from custody after being charged with the manslaughter of her 6-year-old daughter, she twice tested positive for methamphetamines – breaching her bail condition that she not consume any illicit substances.

She cried as she pleaded guilty to the second breach in court via audio visual link, but told Magistrate John Wells she’d relapsed after having “difficult discussions” about her family.

Crystal Hanley has reappeared in court after breaching bail for a second time. Picture: Russell Millard

Madaline Anderson, for Hanley, said her time in prison would serve as personal deterrence to stop her reoffending.

“This is Ms Hanley’s first time serving in custody; her motivation to maintain abstinence is to not to see herself return to custody.”

Mr Wells said Ms Hanley had been arrested and convicted for breaching bail not long before testing positive to methamphetamine on May 19, and expressed concerns she chose to reoffend despite already facing court for an identical charge.

“It concerns me that not long after that matter, you continued to use illicit drugs,” Mr Wells said.

“This is the first time you have been in custody and I am told that it has been unpleasant. You have found the last week in jail distressing and confronting.”

Mr Wells jailed Ms Hanley for 7 days, but reduced it by 40 per cent for her guilty plea and backdated it to when she was arrested in May.

Her daughter Charlie was found unresponsive in the family’s home in Munno Para, in Adelaide’s northern suburbs, in July last year.

She was taken to Lyell McEwin Hospital where she was confirmed dead.

In April, Ms Hanley was charged with manslaughter, as well as with four counts of criminal neglect relating to children aged between 8-14.

The court previously heard the child had been living in a home deemed “squalid” and “uninhabitable for humans”.

Charlie was 6-years-old when she was found unresponsive in her Munno Para home. Picture: Supplied

Ms Anderson on Monday asked the court to release her client on bail once again, so that she could return home and make arrangements ahead of a property inspection this coming Friday.

“Housing SA have sent Ms Hanley correspondence indicating that they will be at the property on the 9th of June, and that will be to inspect the property and also discuss her tenancy, so my submission is that she has been and remains a lawful tenant of that property.”

However, prosecutors said Housing SA had already issued a non-renewal, given the state Ms Hanley left the property in.

“That seems contrary to the information I’ve been provided by Housing SA, which has indicated they’re proceeding with a compliance action,” prosecutors said to Ms Anderson’s submission that the home remains available.

“There will be a non-renewal for her lease that expires on the 8th of July and then she won’t be able to return to that property.

“The compliance is in relation to the house being believed to be in squalor.”

After a brief adjournment, prosecutors said Housing SA staff had clarified that Ms Hanley had not yet been evicted, but if released on bail, may “only be able to reside at the property for a short time”.

Mr Wells granted Ms Hanley home detention bail and ordered she wear an electronic ankle monitor.

“If you use drugs again, there is a high chance you will return to custody,” Mr Wells told her.

“Do not use drugs again.”

Ms Hanley will return to court in August.

Ms Hanley has asked a court to release her despite the risk of her being evicted from her home. Picture: Russell Millard