Boyfriend previously identified as harmful before toddler's death

An inquest into the death of a 14-month-old boy has revealed that his mother's boyfriend was known to the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) as a person who could cause harm. The toddler, identified legally as KBS, was found unresponsive in his cot on January 13, 2019. He later died in the hospital, suffering from multiple injuries including broken ribs and blunt-force trauma. KBS’s mother’s boyfriend is now deceased, but the inquest has shed light on the circumstances leading to KBS’s death. Katherine Alexander, a DCJ official, testified that the department did not know the boyfriend was living with KBS until the day after he died. The boyfriend had been identified as a risk due to previous harm records but the DCJ failed to act on this information prior to the toddler's death. The inquest heard that a risk report concerning KBS's mother and her children had been opened but closed before November 2018. Ms. Alexander explained that the department would have taken different actions if they had known the boyfriend was cohabiting with the family. The inquest has been adjourned until May 19, when more witnesses are expected to testify. The family of the deceased boy is also scheduled to make a statement at that time.