Inquest into Central Australian co-sleeping baby deaths hears mum’s grief, communication barriers

DISTRESSING CONTENT WARNING: A mother’s grief following the discovery of her dead two-month-old son has been laid bare in court, as part of the inquest into the deaths of a number of babies.

Alice Springs Local Court: Picture: Gera Kazakov

July 16: A court has heard the frantic triple-0 call made after a mother discovered her two-month-old child dead, as an inquest into his death – and two other baby deaths – continues.

The Alice Springs Local Court heard the mother wailing as the operator tried to discern what the situation was, as part of the inquest into the co-sleeping deaths of three babies in Central Australia over two years.

In between the mothers cries, a man can be heard telling the operator a baby is “not breathing”.

“Please just come here,” the man said, as the mother’s sobs can be heard in the background.

The call was made on October 22, 2023, the day the two month old child tragically died, and was played in the court late on Monday afternoon.

Northern Territory Police and St John Ambulance service responding to an unrelated incident to what the inquest is covering in Alice Springs in 2024. Picture: Gera Kazakov

An ambulance was dispatched to the Alice Springs address, but tragically the young boy could not be saved.

His death is one three Coroner Elisabeth Armitage is examining in the inquest, which continued on Wednesday.

Giving evidence first was midwife Emma Secombe, who detailed the cross-cultural communication struggles she encounterd throughout her job.

Speaking generally, she told the court she would discuss the dangers of co-sleeping with new mothers by addressing factors such as the baby sleeping in a different bed to the parents, providing a controlled temperate environment for bub, and “how blankets need to be out of the way”.

Ms Armitage said it was “shocking” an experienced midwife such as Ms Secombe faced cultural communication barriers in her work, given her experience and the project she worked for, MyMidwives, was run with the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress.

NT Coroner Elisabeth Armitage. Picture: Gera Kazakov

Ms Secombe has 25-years experience as a midwife, working in both public and private practices.

The second death the inquest is examining occurred 45 days after the young boy, in December 2022 in Alice Springs.

The young girl was 35-days-old.

Midwife Bobbi McMinn gave evidence in the afternoon, and she also spoke about the difficulties she faced providing antenatal and post-natal care while she was employed at Alice Springs Hospital.

She said warning mums of the dangers of co-sleeping was a “core component” of providing post natal care as a midwife.

On Monday, Ms Armitage approved non-publication orders preventing the identities of the mothers and the children and the mother’s medical records being published.

None of the mothers involved are accused of any wrongdoing, no charges have been laid over the deaths, and the children’s cause of death is not disputed.

The third death the inquest is examining occurred in Tennant Creek in October 2022, and involved a child who was three days old.

Neither of the mothers or their family appeared in court on Tuesday.

The inquest heard the co-sleeping deaths involve Aboriginal children. Picture: File

The inquest is examining what educational messages need to be given to parents around co-sleeping, if the government is doing enough to mitigate the risks of co-sleeping deaths, as well as seeking to raise awareness for the issue.

On the first day, the court heard co-sleeping arrangements are common in Aboriginal cultures, counsel assisting Giles O’Brien Hartcher said.

He said there had been 244 co-sleeping deaths in Australia within the past eight years.

“Many involved Aboriginal children and which were “preventable,” he said.

Within the past eight years in the Territory, there have been 10 co-sleeping deaths – each of which could have been investigated, Ms Armitage told the court on Monday.

The inquest continues.

Coroner examines tragic deaths of three Territory bubs

July 15: A coronial inquest into the tragic deaths of three babies has begun in Alice Springs, placing co-sleeping arrangements in Central Australia under the microscope.

Over two weeks in the Alice Springs Local Court, Coroner Elisabeth Armitage will examine the three co-sleeping deaths which tragically occurred in Alice Springs and Tennant Creek between 2022 and 2023.

Territory Coroner Elisabeth Armitage. Picture: Glenn Campbell

On Monday, the inquest began with Ms Armitage approving a request for non-publication orders to be placed which would prevent the children and their families involved in the inquest being identified.

The inquest is examining three specific baby deaths, but the court heard within the last eight years there have been 244 co-sleeping deaths in Australia – a number of which were “preventable” and involved Aboriginal children, counsel assisting Giles O’Brien Hartcher said.

The first of the deaths being examined is a child who was two months old when he died in October 2023, in Alice Springs.

The second child was 35-days old when she died 45 days later in December, also in Alice Springs.

The third child, aged just three days old, had died a year earlier in Tennant Creek, in October 2022.

Tennant Creek. Picture: Alex Treacy

Mr O’Brien Hartcher said the purpose of the inquest was “not to lay blame” on the mothers but instead “to try and understand the risks for children when they are co-sleeping”.

“The cause of these three babies’ deaths is not controversial in this inquest,” he said.

The inquest hoped to raise awareness around the dangers of co-sleeping, while also examining what educational messages should be given to parents, and if the government was doing enough to mitigate the risks of co-sleeping deaths, Mr O’Brien Hartcher said.

The mother of the child who died in October was present on Monday, sitting in the rear of court.

She was observed holding her head in her hands, leaning forward and occasionally wiping away tears.

The court heard co-sleeping arrangements were common in Aboriginal cultures in Australia.

“When its mother lies down to sleep, she lies down with the baby in close physical proximity, usually on its side for spiritual reasons in close physical contact,” Mr O’Brien Hartcher said.

“Physical contact during co-sleeping continues to be of the utmost cultural importance. Not to co-sleep would be seen … as neglect.”

Lawyer Michael McCarthy, representing the Department of Children and Families, and lawyer Zac Cleal for the Department of Health, both offered their condolences to the affected families.

Mr McCarthy said the department had already implemented a number of reforms – such as increasing cultural awareness training for staff – prior to the inquest commencing.

At the beginning of the inquest, Ms Armitage detailed 10 other co-sleeping deaths which could have been considered as part of the inquest.

“It’s possible that their deaths could have been prevented. Each was dearly loved, their families were trying to keep them safe,” she said.

Tennant Creek Police Station. Picture: Alex Treacy

Police Sergeant Aaron Evans, videolinking in from Tennant Creek, was the first to provide evidence on Monday.

Sgt Evans investigated the tragic death of the child in Tennant Creek.

The father-of-two detailed his investigation and spoke about how he had to break the news to the family.

He said he did not find “anything of concern” – such as cuts or bruises – when he examined the baby post death as part of his investigation.

No charges were laid over any of the deaths and the none of the mothers are accused of any wrongdoing.

A number of witnesses – from midwives to medical experts and government department staff – will take the stand in the coming fortnight as part of the inquest.

The inquest continues on Tuesday.