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6.   The numbers of Filicides annually may be higher than reported. 

Queensland's 'Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services' has reported the death of dozens of children known to its 'Child Safety' division.

    "The Qld. shadow child safety minister, Ros Bates, said more than 50 children known to Queensland’s Child Safety Department had died in the past year...... “We have had, over the past 12 months, 51 deaths known to Qld. Dept of Children, of those there are at least eight children who have died under terrible circumstances and another 16 which are being investigated.”

The Qld state Govt is now issuing an annual report into the deaths of dozens of children known to Queensland’s child safety system last year.  Almost two-thirds of the 55 children identified were under the age of five. Ten died from natural causes, with 45 due to external causes that included 10 cases of assault or neglect.

Western society has jumped ahead along the punishment/deterrent curve ostensibly due to the illicit drug scourge.  Heavily drug addicted, Andrew William O'Sullivan, is in jail for the manslaughter of 22 month old, Mason Jet Lee, at Caboolture Qld in 2016 due to regularly beating his female partner's young child.  Toddler, Mason, suffered infectious cellulitis, a prolapsed anus, severe nappy rash, a fractured leg, constipation, abscesses, mouth ulcers, peritonitis (inflammation of the membrane lining the abdominal wall), septicaemia (allowed faecal matter to contaminate his bloodstream), fractured coccyx, bruises to the forehead, jaw, chest and abdomen.  22 months old, Mason, died from sepsis, as a result of a fatal blow to his abdomen (inflicted by drug addicted O'Sullivan) which ruptured his small intestine. He was left in agony and further abused for 5 days before his little body finally gave in.

Below is an extract from Filicide: the Australian story - published by Cambridge University Press - 18 Dec 2020 - that quantify inter alia the influence of hard drug dependence on recent Filicides in Australia:

"Perpetrator factors

Mothers were characterised as being mentally ill (52%), separated from or with no current partner (45%), having a history of crime (30%), being a victim of domestic violence (23%), and having drug (22%) and alcohol (11%) abuse issues.

Fathers were characterised as having a criminal history (54%), being perpetrators of domestic violence (43%), being separated or having no current partner (25%), having drug (24%) and alcohol (32%) abuse issues, and having a mental illness (12%).

Stepfathers were characterised as having a criminal history (74%), being domestic violence perpetrators (46%), having drug (55%) and alcohol (23%) abuse issues, but with few (3%) having a mental illness (3%)."

 

 

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