Charlie witnessed dad stab mum months before 6yo’s death as police probe neglect

Grim new details of Charlie’s upbringing have been revealed following her death, with the young girl witnessing her dad stab her mum while high on ice.

New details have emerged of the upbringing of a six-year-old girl who died in Adelaide last week, as authorities investigate it as a possible case of criminal neglect.

It emerged on Tuesday night that the young girl, Charlie, had previously witnessed her father stab her mother while high on ice in January 2021.

The girl’s mother was stabbed several times after a fight broke out in their house and spilled out into the front garden, The Advertiser reported.

A bystander intervened to stop the brawl.

Charlie’s dad, John, pleaded guilty to causing harm with intent in February and admitted being a meth user.

He was jailed in March for five-and-a-half years.

The tragic detail comes as neighbours have revealed grim new details of Charlie’s death, including the little one’s mum’s heartbreaking screams for help.

Charlie was found “paper white” in colour and not breathing at her home in Munno Para, Adelaide, on Friday morning.

A neighbour, called Bec, said she heard the little girl’s mother wail “Charlie’s not breathing!”, causing her to come running to the house in the early hours.

“She was on the floor in a nappy and she was paper white … and when I touched her she was stone cold and her eyes were open and fixated on the ceiling,” Bec told Daily Mail Australia.

“We did everything to try and get Charlie to breathe.”

Charlie died aged just six years old.

Bec’s sister carried out CPR on the little girl before paramedics arrived and took over for another 30 minutes.

But despite everyone’s best efforts, Charlie was pronounced dead in hospital.

She told Daily Mail Australia that no one had seen Charlie for weeks and they had heard she was battling a mystery illness.

The situation has now been declared a “major crime” and a criminal investigation task force has been formed.

“The death is being investigated as a case of criminal neglect causing death,” South Australia Police Deputy Commissioner Linda Williams said on Tuesday.

This crime carries a maximum term of life imprisonment if proven.

According to 7News, the girl lived with her mother and suffered from “multiple health conditions”.

“The task force will conduct a simultaneous comprehensive and coronial investigation at the same time and that will focus on the broader circumstances of Charlie’s death,” the deputy commissioner said.

“As you would understand, the investigation is in its early stages.”

Charlie died in hospital on Friday

People who knew the couple told the ABC that “multiple” reports had been made to the Department of Child Protection.

The Adelaide Advertiser also report the six-year-old may have died from “suspected malnutrition,” with authorities raising questions over the children’s diet and whether excessive amounts of “junk food” were consumed.

A statement from police indicates they will be conducting a “simultaneous and comprehensive coronial investigation that will focus on the cause and circumstances of the child’s death”.

Ms Williams could not confirm Charlie’s condition when she was found by paramedics, however, she said initial post-mortem results indicated cause for police to “be concerned about the state of Charlie’s health and wellbeing at the time of her death.”

A neighbour is seen nearby the house where Charlie was found unresponsive. Picture: Brenton Edwards

She noted that the conditions inside the Adelaide home were “poor”.

“This is extremely serious. The death of any person is tragic but the death of a young child, a six-year-old girl, obviously causes concern for everybody,” she said.

“I would say we take this very seriously and it’s obviously of grave concern.”

SA Deputy Premier Susan Close announced there would also be a government review into the interaction between government agencies and the family that have taken place over the last few years.

“The review will encompass the chronology of services and agencies engaged, the roles and responsibilities and interactions of the respective agencies, the effectiveness of interventions and government services and it will also identify any system improvements,” she said.