By Aaron Bunch and Heather McNeill
The case of a 10-year-old boy who took his own life while under state care in Western Australia is tragic, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles says.
The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, died on Friday night in Perth while under the care of the Department of Communities.
Marles said it was “impossible not to be moved by” his death and it was a “tragic circumstance”.
The boy, inset, was aged just 10. Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has described the incident as tragic.
“It certainly does speak to the fact that we have enormous challenges going forward in relation to closing the gap,” he told ABC TV on Thursday.
“We really need to be looking at ways in which we can do business in a different way, because the gap is stubbornly persistent.”
National Suicide Prevention and Trauma Recovery Project director Megan Krakouer said the boy was removed from his parents’ care four days before Christmas in 2020 when they were living in a tent.
She said they had created a stable home in the years since and were working with the department in an attempt to reunite their family, but it had been unsupportive and judgemental.
“Their hearts are broken,” she said.
“They are good people, respectful people, loving people.”
Krakouer, who is acting for the parents, said they felt there had been an incredible power imbalance and the department had ignored them as they attempted to reunite their family.
“They made them jump through hoop after hoop after hoop,” she said.
“Twenty-six case managers over four years and there was not even a cultural safety plan.”
In a statement, the boy’s family said they wanted two of their other children, still in foster care, returned to them.
“Our beautiful son is gone,” it read.
“He should still be with us. He should have been able to come home.
“We were a family of six children and full of love. Now, [we] have a hole in our hearts.”
WA Premier Roger Cook said the state government would be reviewing what happened in this “very tragic” case.
“In this particular circumstances, it’s always horrible when you see a young child resort to what must be the most desperate act, which is the act of taking ones own life,” he said.
“In relation to children who are taken into care, we always do so with the Aboriginal child placement principles, which is about ensuring that if at all possible, that child goes into the care of another member of the extended family or another member of the community who is culturally aligned, and those principles were followed in this particular case.
“So now we are left with the task of getting answers.”
Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney said the death was “shocking, heartbreaking and demands deep reflection”.
“My heart goes out to the family and community in WA that has lost a son so young,” she posted on X.
The Department of Communities said it could not comment on individual cases.
“The death of any child or young person is a tragedy which has a devastating impact on the families, friends and communities involved,” a spokesman said.
“Any death of a child in care automatically triggers a coronial inquest and we support all matters of this nature being investigated.”
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AAP