Child Safety Minister Amanda Camm dodges questions after baby’s death at Rockhampton

Queensland’s new Child Safety Minister will not commit to a review and has dodged questions about the shocking death of a two-month-old girl, born to an at-risk teen and at the home of long-term foster carers when ambulances were called.

Queensland Minister for Child Safety Amanda Camm, pictured during a January press conference, has been asked questions about the death of a two-month-old baby. Picture: Supplied

Queensland’s new child safety minister will not commit to a review or answer any questions about the shocking death of a teen girl’s baby believed to have tragically died while visiting a foster care home.

Amanda Camm would not confirm whether the teenager mother or her two-month-old girl were in the care of or being monitored by the state at the time of the tragedy in Rockhampton on January 19.

However, it’s understood the teen had previously been in foster care at the Gracemere house and had returned to visit with her baby and partner.

Emergency services were called to the Gracemere home, owned by two longstanding foster carers, about 11pm and discovered the baby girl had suffered “life-threatening head injuries” and was not breathing.

A neighbour said the teen mum had moved out of the foster home at about 15 but often visited in recent months and was there with her boyfriend and the baby the night of the tragedy.

It is understood the foster mother was away with other children at the time.

A two-month-old baby girl has died after she was found critically injured at Gracemere.

The Courier Mail does not suggest any wrongdoing by the parents or the foster carers.

Ms Camm did not answer questions about what kind of support was in place for the young mother, or any circumstances surrounding the tragedy, referring all questions to the Department of Child Safety.

A department spokesperson said the Child Protection Act 1999 prevents the department from disclosing publicly whether an individual or family is known or not known to the department.

However, when asked whether it was procedure for a teenage foster child to be removed from a foster home should she fall pregnant, the department replied: “There is no policy that states girls in foster care aged under 18 years who are pregnant should be removed from foster care”.

“If we receive concerns relating to an unborn child and a notification is recorded, the matter is assessed regardless of the pregnant girl being a child in care,” the statement read.

“The purpose of an investigation and assessment before the birth of a child is to assess concerns about the risk of significant harm that the unborn child may experience after they are born.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli and Minister for Child Safety Amanda Camm in Brisbane. Picture: Supplied

“If risk is identified, help and support is offered to increase the newborn baby’s safety.”

Ms Camm did not respond when asked how the minister and Crisafulli Government would ensure this tragic incident would never happen again.

A Department of Child Safety spokesperson said the government funded community agencies, such as Family Wellbeing Services and Intensive Family Support services, to help families care safely for their children.

The baby was taken to Rockhampton Hospital before being flown to Brisbane where she died on January 22.

No charges have been laid and Rockhampton Child Protection Investigation Unit detectives and specialist police from Crime and Intelligence Command’s Child Trauma Unit continue to investigate the baby’s death.

The Gracemere home where foster carers have looked after countless children turned into a crime scene after a two-month-old baby's death.

The child safety spokesperson would not confirm whether the department would undertake a review.

“If a child is known to Child Safety in the year prior to their death, a child death review process is undertaken by a specialist internal review team,” the spokesperson said.

“This review is then considered by the independent Child Death Review Board chaired by the Queensland Family and Child Commissioner.

“The frequency of home visits for children in the child safety system is determined by the assessed level of risk and need, the intervention agreed to by the parents or ordered by the Children’s Court, and the goals of the case plan.”

Originally published as Child Safety Minister Amanda Camm dodges questions after baby’s death at Rockhampton