Saturday 16 August 2008

Justice Northern Territory Style

While on the subject of our justice system, I came across this story. If you have a child who sustained a broken leg, they shit their pants and are tossed outside in the back yard to lay in dirt all day with no food or water. The child suffers a heart attack and dies. An autopsy reveals that 1.5 litres of pus was drained from her leg and the child had a treatable blood and bone infection. The two women who were carers for this girl are found not guilty of manslaughter. What in the hell goes on and who is responsible for the condition this girl was in when she died? A broken limb would no doubt cause pain and this young girl would of been in massive agony with the resulting infection yet no medical attention was sought for her. Wouldn't it be interesting to see how a jury came to this conclusion and the two women walked free, no burden of responsibility on their shoulders. Is the Northern Territory justice system unlike the rest of Australia? I am curious as to what sets out this case as where the women taking care of this child are not held responsible, ok they might not have killed her but they owed that little girl a duty of care to get her medical treatment and in not doing so, they are guilty of neglect. The child was seen the day prior to her death by NT Family and Children's Services where she was lying on the floor crying. The child welfare system in Australia needs a massive wake up call and not just because they make fucked up decisions like this one but they also have no idea on other cases and do NOT always have the best solutions within their means!

6 comments:

jmb said...

A story like this is just so heart wrenching Nunyaa. To hear that these women were let off scot free boggles the mind. I guess there was more to the story than we are seeing here.

Nunyaa said...

You are absolutely correct JMB. These women were responsible for that child and one can only hope that their ability to be carers is taken away at the least. If in fact the whole story is not being made known, then to be fair to the women concerned and so people don't form wrong opinions, perhaps it should be made public, can't do any more damage to the little girl, she has already paid the ultimate price.

Ginro said...

I hate accounts of this nature. I can't believe they got away with it, and the thought of the child suffering like that is, as JMB says, heart-wrenching.

CherryPie said...

Quite appalling...

Anonymous said...

It is so sad. Everyday in this country there are always some case equally as bad where a child was tortured, killed, abused at the hands of their caretaker. Could you imagine?? Someone that is suppose to treat that child like a prince or princess, doing all those horrible acts. Life is not always pleasant.

CalumCarr said...

Unbelievable!

Horrifying that a young girl should suffer and die in such a way.