Child Z - Non-inquest findings
Demographics
2y, male
Date of death
2014
Finding date
2015-09-13
Cause of death
Drowning
AI-generated summary
A 2-year-5-month-old child drowned in a cattle dip on a Central Queensland property after wandering 400 metres from the fenced house yard while parents were occupied with routine tasks. The child traversed an unformed dirt road and negotiated a metal cattle grid to reach the dip, which contained approximately 16,000 litres of water with cattle treatment chemicals. The coroner found no negligence by parents or unsafe design unusual for such facilities. However, the finding emphasises that cattle dips present significant drowning hazards to young children and recommends property owners consider practical safeguards such as mesh barriers when dips are not in use. The coroner also recommends parents develop water safety skills in young children early and that agricultural organisations communicate these risks to rural communities. No medical errors or healthcare system failures were identified.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Contributing factors
- Wandering away from supervised area
- Lack of swimming ability
- Child curiosity and exploration
- Inadequate barriers around cattle dip
- Rural property hazards
- Parental supervision limitations during domestic tasks
Coroner's recommendations
- Cattle dip owners should consider installing mesh barriers on dip sides and gates at each end to close off when not in use, recognising practical constraints of working cattle properties
- Agricultural representative bodies should communicate drowning hazards to members and rural community
- Parents of young children on properties should encourage development of water safety and swimming competency from a young age
- Families should identify potential drowning risks on their properties and implement practical safeguards
Full text
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