Sisters fined after breaching quarantine restrictions to see mum, boyfriend

Two young women who escaped their quarantine facility were dobbed in to authorities by their mother after they showed up at her door.

A mother has dobbed in her two daughters after they breached their Covid-19 quarantine requirements in Alice Springs by climbing over the perimeter fence and jumping into a waiting car.

The sisters, aged 19 and 22, allegedly left the Alice Springs quarantine facility on Sunday. A vehicle was waiting for them.

They then drove to their mother’s house, and she contacted authorities.

The woman took one of her daughter’s back to the quarantine facility, while the other was with her boyfriend.

NT Police said that young woman was “initially unco-operative” when told to return to isolation.

“Both the mother and the boyfriend were directed by the chief health officer into mandatory supervised quarantine,” police said in a statement.

“The incident was controlled quickly, with both women, their mother and the boyfriend of one all in quarantine.”

According to police, the young women had not been in contact with anyone else and did not attend any other locations.

NT Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker said the two sisters were fined for breaching the Covid-19 directions. Picture: Glenn Campbell

NT Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker addressed the media on Monday afternoon and said the pair had been fined over the breach.

Under the chief health officer’s directions, fines can be issued to people who breach the Covid-19 restrictions – $5056 for an individual and $25,280 for a business.

He said the sisters as well as their mother and the boyfriend also had to pay for their two-week isolation.

“They were up on the first floor. They managed to abseil down and work through that and then up and over a fence to head off,” Mr Chalker said.

“That's something that’s very deeply concerning, again noting this is not a prison.

“This is a place where people should know they're going there to protect the greater health of all the people who live in the Territory.”

He described the sisters’ actions as “completely and utterly immature”.

“(It’s) incredibly disappointing with the seriousness of what's going on and what people in Victoria are dealing with – to have people treat that environment with such contempt,” Mr Chalker said.

Commander Sachin Sharma said it was “incredible” to see people still not taking the pandemic seriously.

“The reason we have no community transmission in the Territory and that we are safe is because we have been diligent in ensuring anyone potentially at risk is quarantined,” he said.

“Incidents like to this place the wider NT community in danger and will not be tolerated. We must continue to remain vigilant and follow all directions of the chief health officer.”