Brodie Tull and Starr Light Cahill: Why the Murray Bridge parents were jailed for criminal neglect
Only a couple jailed over the horrific injuries to their infant twin sons know what really happened to them – as a court hears of a grim remark to the grandmother.
A home in disarray, a “deluded” couple who won’t reveal how their infant twin boys were horrifically injured and a mystery comment to a worried grandmother – now two appalling parents are in jail for years.
Starr Light Cahill, 29, and Brodie Tull, 25, of Murray Bridge have been exposed for the sickening neglect of their sons, as a judge rejected “in full” their excuses for their sons’ rib fractures.
During sentencing on Wednesday, Judge Ian White told the District Court one of the twins was at “real risk” of losing his life and was saved only due to the prompt actions of medical staff.
The court heard Tull’s family had been “vilified” in the community as a result of his offending and he accepted he would be unlikely to return to Murray Bridge after being released from jail.
Tull, who excelled in sport and represented Australia in ruby four years ago, did not react as his seven-year jail sentence was handed down.
Cahill, however, wept over the video link as she was told she was being jailed for six years.
Michael Foundas, prosecuting, told the court in the trial opening the couple’s twin boys were born on March 8, 2022.
One of the twins presented at the Murray Bridge hospital on May 29, 2022.
An examination by an expert forensic pediatrician revealed the boy had 33 recent rib fractures, signs of 18 older rib fractures, a laceration to his liver, bruising and an older leg fracture.
“On the prosecution case, (the boy) had been the victim of at least one recent and one older occasion of deliberate inflictions of force, particularly to his chest,” Mr Foundas said.
The court heard a medical examination found the other twin had 13 recent rib fractures and signs of 24 older rib fractures.
What witnesses said during trial
Ms Cahill’s mother, Donna Sweeney detailed a time she was in the car with Ms Cahill months after the boys’ injuries were uncovered.
“We were talking about Starr and Brodie … like Starr was telling us how her and Brodie were fighting,” she said.
Ms Sweeney said Ms Cahill then told her Mr Tull would not like it if “the truth” about what happened to the twins came out.
Ms Sweeney said Ms Cahill then changed the conversation when she was asked what she meant by that.
A government worker also gave evidence about a “strange” comment Mr Tull made when she went to the couple’s house with police to check on the other twin after his brother’s injuries came to light.
The worker asked Mr Tull if he knew why they were there.
“I believe that he suggested it was due to the injuries on (the other twin),” she said.
“I do recall thinking that was strange because obviously we weren’t aware of any injuries to (the other twin) at the time.”
What the couple said
In the Murray Bridge couple’s police interviews in June 2022 released to The Advertiser, Cahill is asked what she can tell them about the boys’ injuries.
“I’m not accusing my seven-year-old daughter … but multiple times I’ve turned around and caught her holding her brother … and his legs dangling,” she replies.
“I’ve gone in there and seen her doing it and told her off about it.”
When asked if there was any other way they could have gotten the rib fractures, Cahill said it could have been their “pretty stocked” staffy cross border collie.
“I’m not blaming the puppy but he got let inside and had got caught sitting on (one twin),” she said.
At one stage, Cahill becomes emotional and says “I would never hurt my children”.
When asked if she caused the injuries to the twins, she replied: “No, no. I would never”.
In Tull’s interview, he also blamed the puppy and Cahill’s daughter as potential explanations for the boys’ injuries.
He told officers they treated the boys “like glass” because they were born premature.
“I really am shocked,” Tull said.
“It just hurts because it just seems like we’re getting the finger pointed at us … I’m always careful. It just hurts because I just want my boys.”
However, Judge White said the medical evidence presented at trial – which excluded the dog and child as explanations for the boy’s injuries – meant he rejected them “in full”.
The couple were found guilty by a jury of two counts of criminal neglect.
A walk-through video of the couple’s house released to The Advertiser shows it in disarray, with messy piles everywhere and rubbish on the floor.
The children’s bedrooms are dirty, with their beds piled with clothing and one mattress stained with no sheets.
The court heard Cahill, who expressed a wish to have her tubes tied as she doesn’t want any more children, was no longer together with Tull.
The court heard Tull was “heartbroken” about not seeing his boys, who now suffer from global development delays.
“You maintain your innocence but nevertheless blame yourself for the state of health of your boys once it was discovered,” Judge White said.
Tull was sentenced to seven years’ jail, with a non-parole period of four years and six months.
Due to Cahill’s lower intellectual capacity, she was sentenced to six years’ jail, with a non-parole period of three years and nine months.
Judge White said as the couple refused to reveal what happened to the “defenceless” boys, he couldn’t say beyond reasonable doubt which one inflicted the injuries.
“In the end only you two know what happened about that harm,” he said.
“I have a hope that you both reflect upon what has happened and move away from your current deluded state of minds that you both did nothing wrong in the care of your sons.”
Their sentences were backdated to May 7.
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Originally published as Brodie Tull and Starr Light Cahill: Why the Murray Bridge parents were jailed for criminal neglect
