‘Excluded’ family not told of child’s death

An inquest into the death of a 17-year-old Aboriginal girl who was in the care of the Northern Territory government in Katherine has exposed serious problems within the territory’s child protection system.

The girl, referred to as Didbala in court, was told details of her final moments before she committed suicide in here bedroom in 2022.

The inquest over five days was told the girl was staying at a care home in Katherine run by CASPA. She had a history of mental health issues and one witness told the court she was hearing voices.

Family members also told the inquest they felt excluded from discussions about her care and were not even told of her death by CASPA, discovering the news on social media.

Judge Elizabeth Armitage will consider all the evidence and make recommendations at a later date.