Deceased
Child LT
Demographics
11y, male
Coroner
Deputy State Coroner Linton
Date of death
2021-08-18
Finding date
2024-04-04
Cause of death
unascertained
AI-generated summary
An 11-year-old child with Cornelia de Lange Syndrome and severe congenital heart disease died alone at home while his mother was intoxicated and unwell. He had complex care needs and was non-verbal. The Department of Communities had an open child safety investigation due to concerns about his mother's substance abuse, parental capacity, and neglect. The child was returned to his mother's care despite these concerns, with a safety plan that failed. No definite cause of death was established; possible causes included sudden cardiac arrhythmia, seizure-related positional asphyxia, dehydration/malnutrition, or infection. The coroner found that Communities should have arranged medical assessment to establish health baseline, prioritized regular home visits for this vulnerable child, and identified him as equivalent to a high-risk infant despite chronological age. Systemic gaps in child protection for children with disabilities were noted.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes. Report an inaccuracy.
Specialties
Error types
Drugs involved
Clinical conditions
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