Inquest into the death of Kumanjayi Holmes
Deceased
Damilia Kelly Holmes
Demographics
15y, female
Date of death
2021-10-31
Finding date
2023-03-31
Cause of death
complications of Batten disease (CLN3)
AI-generated summary
Damilia Kelly Holmes, a 15-year-old Aboriginal girl, died from complications of Batten disease (CLN3) while in palliative care. She was in out-of-home care under the Territory Families and Housing (TFHC) and was loved and well-cared for by her carer Ms Teasdale. Key clinical challenges involved coordinating disability support funding between the NDIS and child protection services, with periods of uncertainty about responsibility allocation. The coroner commended the care provided and acknowledged systemic difficulties in funding rather than clinical failures. A Disability and Development Team was established in 2020 to support children in care. The coroner noted no clinical preventability issues and made no recommendations, indicating the care received was appropriate given the progressive nature of Batten disease.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Specialties
Clinical conditions
Contributing factors
- progressive neurodegenerative disease
- funding coordination challenges between NDIS and child protection services
- uncertainty about division of responsibilities for disability support funding
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