A little boy fell through cracks in the protection system

July 8, 2026 — 4:50pm

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The killing of a child by their parent is rare in NSW. The cases are complex and distressing. Filicide by a mother is even rarer, and, research shows, usually involves mental illness. These cases raise questions about the role of child protection agencies in ensuring the safety of children.

This week, there was a particularly distressing case; the alleged murder of a four-year-old boy by his mother, who claimed to have consumed part of her son. It again exposed the frailty of the NSW child protection system.

The boy and his 32-year-old mother were known to the Department of Communities and Justice, which had received multiple reports of child safety concerns. The most recent report was 18 months ago, before they moved from Gunnedah to........

© The Sydney Morning Herald