A second teenager has died in the care of Territory Families within the past three months

Two teenagers under the care of a NT-run facility have died in the past three months. Read their stories.

A teenage girl has died while in the care of Territory Families, the second death in out-of-home care in three months.

The 17-year-old girl was under the care of Territory Families when she died at an intensive therapeutic residential care home in Katherine on October 2.

Under the Care and Protection of Children Act 2007, kids removed from their families are considered to be under the care of Territory Families chief executive Ken Davies.

The facility was operated by CASPA, a New South Wales-based social service that started operating in the Northern Territory in February 2021.

On July 3, a 15-year-old boy died when a stolen vehicle crashed.

Territory Families placed him in another one of CASPA’s intensive residential care facilities in Darwin.

By law both Aboriginal children’s deaths are now subject to coronial inquests.

CASPA Northern Territory executive director Nathan Baunach said the organisation was unable to comment.

Mr Baunach asked that the wellbeing of family and friends be respected after the tragic event.

“But that is as much as I am able to say at this time,” he said.

In the organisation’s 2020/21 Annual Report, chief executive Naarah Rodwell said CASPA had opened nine residential facilities and employed more than 160 people across the Top End.

“Though far from ideal, the accelerated set up was for the most part a success with the

usual barriers faced when delivering co-tenancy services to complex and high needs

youth in out-of-home care,” Mrs Rodwell said.

CASPA Services Ltd chief executive Naarah Rodwell when her organisation announced it was awarded the contract to deliver Intensive Therapeutic Residential Care in the Northern Territory regions of Darwin, Greater Darwin and Central Australia.

“Additionally, we proposed a new program to support kids exiting residential care.

“The program utilised the framework of our Supported Independent Living (SIL) program in NSW.

“The NT government agreed to support a pilot program which is now in operation.”

A Territory Families, Housing and Communities spokesman said the appropriate notifications to the Coroner and Children’s Commissioner were made.

“The death of any young person is a tragedy and our deepest sympathies go to the family,” the spokesman said.

“Territory Families, Housing and Communities will continue to work closely with the family to provide ongoing support through this difficult time.”

The spokesman said that as the matter was subject to a coronial inquest, no further comment would be made.

The Northern Territory Coroner and Office of the Children’s Commission said they could not comment on an ongoing investigation.

Matt Cunningham is the Sky News Northern Australia Correspondent