Three child protection workers in the Northern Territory have been stood down pending an investigation into actions taken or not taken in relation to the case of Kumanjayi Little Baby, a five-year-old Warlpiri girl whose body was found after a five-day search in Alice Springs.
Background of the Case
Kumanjayi Little Baby, a name used in line with cultural tradition after her death, was reported missing by her mother in the early hours of Sunday 26 April, about two hours after she had been put to bed in a home at the Old Timers/Ilyperenye town camp. Her disappearance triggered a massive land and air search involving police and more than 300 volunteers. Her body was found on Thursday 30 April, approximately 5km from where she was last seen.
Jefferson Lewis, 47, has been charged with her murder and other offences.
Investigation and Minister's Remarks
A spokesperson for Northern Territory child protection minister Robyn Cahill confirmed that three child protection workers were stood down on Wednesday morning while an investigation is underway into actions taken or not taken in relation to this case.
Cahill earlier told News Corp that she had asked her department about the girl's case and was initially told there was 'nothing to see here'. However, upon requesting a briefing, she said 'there was a lot to see there'. She flagged a full investigation and called on the NT children's commissioner to run an independent probe.
Minister Cahill suggested there is a general reluctance to remove Aboriginal children from their homes for fear of being accused of creating another stolen generation. 'You cannot use that as an excuse if they are not safe,' she stated.
Statistics on Indigenous Children in Care
As of 30 June 2025, there were 733 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care in the NT, compared with 90 non-Indigenous children. Indigenous children were removed at more than 12 times the rate of non-Indigenous children, according to the 2026 report on government services.
Data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare in 2025 showed that over 70% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care in the NT in 2022-2023 were not placed with Indigenous relatives or kin, non-Indigenous relatives or kin, or another First Nations caregiver – the lowest rate in all jurisdictions.
Concerns Over Confidentiality
Catherine Liddle, chief executive of peak body SNAICC representing Indigenous children, called for a separate investigation into how media organisations obtained confidential details allegedly from Kumanjayi Little Baby's child protection file. She said publishing those details 'only served to demonise a mother trying to keep herself and her children safe'.
News Corp publications reported that Kumanjayi Little Baby had been subject to six child protection notifications in recent months. Liddle emphasised that notifications do not mean substantiation, and that in the NT, exposure to family violence is a mandatory report but does not necessarily indicate a child should be removed.
Liddle suggested the information may have been leaked, eroding trust in the system. 'Again Aboriginal families and communities are being targeted and blamed when we know this is fairly and squarely a failure of government systems such as justice, corrections and public housing,' she said. 'This was a child who was very loved and her family are shattered at her loss.'
