Father of Nikki Francis-Coslovich says he warned authorities of the danger she was in

NICK Coslovich is haunted he can’t properly explain what happened to his precious little girl. But he says there were warning signs which were ignored.

John Torney, 32, was found not guilty of Nikki Francis-Coslovich’s murder.

NICK Coslovich is haunted by the fact he can’t properly explain what happened to his precious little girl.

Two-year-old Nikki Francis-Coslovich’s body was found stuffed in the roof of her home in Mildura, in regional Victoria. She had injuries so traumatic they resembled those caused after falling from a great height.

The toddler’s liver was split in several places and she lost between one quarter and one third of her total blood volume.

Her stepfather John Clifford Torney, 32, was found not guilty of her murder and manslaughter by a Supreme Court jury last week. At his trial he admitted placing the body in the attic, but blamed the girl’s death on the girl’s mother, Peta-Ann Francis.

Not knowing what happened was “eating me”, Mr Coslovich told A Current Affairon Tuesday night.

“One of them is my little girl’s not here and the other is that somebody decided it was a good idea to be violent with a little girl that wouldn’t hurt an ant. The worst part is that I can’t determine who did what. I don’t know who did it to my little girl.”

He toldA Current Affairthe Victorian Department of Human Services was told several times there were drugs in the house and he feared for her safety.

Nick Coslovich. Picture: Mark Stewart

Nikki Francis-Coslovich was two when she died.

“The place just wasn’t the right place for her to grow up and develop,” Mr Coslovich said.

He missed her every day — but from the moment he heard she was missing he knew he would never see her again.

“She was an angel and to everybody who met her she was like one of those rays of light that ya know, you’re having a bad day and ... she would just make you feel good. That was Nikki’s little gift,’ he said.

The department did investigate but took no action to remove Nikki from the home. Less than two months later she was killed.

“Whether it was a lack of information, a lack of evidence, whether it was everybody — a lack of protocol or red tape or whatever it was, nothing was done and Nikki paid the price,” Mr Coslovich said.

Peta-Ann Francis leaves court after giving evidence in the trial of her former partner, John Clifford Torney.

Before the file on Nikki was closed, officials from the department recorded she was “at significant risk” in the full time care of Ms Francis.

In a statement from the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services it said the death of Nikki was a tragedy that deeply affected staff who had worked on her case.

“The department and leaders across the child protection system are committed to continuous improvement to ensure we are giving the best response possible for vulnerable children and their families.”

The statement said child protection was difficult.

“Child protection decision making is complex and judgments are made based on the facts that are known at the time. The decision to close a case is made in consultation with senior staff and is based on the risks to children and the family’s engagement with support services.”