Ebony Thompson’s family tearful on opening day into Coronial inquest into Humpty Doo childcare centre death

WARNING: DISTRESSING. A family watched through tears as the coroner opened her inquiry into the death of their ‘little pudding’ following a medical incident at a Territory childcare centre.

Ebony Thompson was 22 months old when she died after suffering from a medical incident at the Humpty Doo Community and Child Care Centre on August 30, 2023. Picture: Supplied

Medical experts were unable to fully determine how a Northern Territory toddler was discovered clinging to a childcare centre fence, standing yet unconscious as she rapidly turned “blue”.

Her grieving family watched through tears as coroner Elisabeth Armitage opened the coronial inquest into the unexpected death of 22-month-old Ebony Thompson on Tuesday.

Over four days, Ebony’s grieving family will hear from 14 witnesses including the childcare centre staff, police, medical experts and education regulators, to explore how she suffered a medical incident at the Humpty Doo Community and Child Care Centre in 2023.

Counsel assisting the coroner Chrissy McConnell said the morning Ebony’s mother Jade dropped her off was like every other Thursday.

The Humpty Doo childcare centre where a girl had a medical incident leading to her death. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Ebony was one of 15 kids in the Green Ants room on August 31 for a morning of playing, frolicking in the sand pit and watching the chickens.

The coroner heard there was a critical 10 minute window around 11.30am where the toddler wandered away from the group.

It was only when staff called the roll before lunch that they noticed a child was missing.

Staff member Harprett Kaur discovered the little one in a known “blind spot” behind a shed in the yard at 11.41am — unconscious and unresponsive.

Ms Kaur said she found Ebony “turning blue” but still standing and gripping onto the fence line.

In body cam footage Ms Kaur told police she immediately picked Ebony up, but did not find any signs of bite marks or anything in her mouth.

“She didn’t scream or cry or anything,” Ms Kaur said.

The Humpty Doo childcare centre where a girl had a medical incident leading to her death. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

NT Police Sergeant Wayne Roomes told the coroner it was an “odd scenario” for a person to be discovered blue in the face but still standing.

“The only logical conclusion I could come to was that she tried to get over the fence, got a bit higher and lost her footing for whatever reason,” he said.

“And the hoops got under her jaw, and she couldn’t get herself off.”

Coronial investigator NT Police Detective senior Constable Chris Wheeler also suggested a possible cause of her death was “pressure on the neck by hanging”.

Under cross examination from the child care centre’s barrister Adam Mason, Mr Wheeler confirmed Ms Kaur had not indicated Ebony’s head was “stuck” or over the fence, or that her feet were off the ground.

The coroner heard after staff tried desperately to revive her, Ebony was rushed to the Humpty Doo Family Practice medical clinic across the road.

Ebony’s mother, Jade, was at the clinic, with the first police officer on scene describing her as “very distraught”.

His body-camera captured the sounds of her sobs, over the rhythmical beeping of medical equipment as they attempted to save the little girl.

The coroner heard the ambulance arrived within 24 minutes and Ebony was taken to Royal Darwin Hospital in a critical condition.

She was treated in the Intensive Care Unit, and died two days later from a severe hypoxic brain injury on September 2.

“The immediate cause of death … was recorded as undetermined,” Ms McConnell said.

Ms McConnell said the inquest would seek to find answers to questions that have haunted Ebony’s family since her death: How long was their child unsupervised and unaccounted for? Were there enough staff? How was she able to wander off? And could earlier medical intervention have helped saved her life?

Ms Armitage told Ebony’s loved ones the coronial was not just to recognise the “precious” life that Ebony lived, but provide answers to her family and the wider Territory community who needed assurance their children would be safe while at daycare.

Originally published as Ebony Thompson’s family tearful on opening day into Coronial inquest into Humpty Doo childcare centre death