Northern Territory child protection review finds systemic failures after Kumanjayi Little Baby death

An interim report into the death of five‑year‑old Indigenous girl Kumanjayi Little Baby, who was abducted from the Old Timers camp at Alice Springs in April 2025 and found dead five days later, concluded the Northern Territory Department of Children and Families failed to identify and assess multiple indicators of domestic and family violence. The report, led by former NSW police commissioner Karen Webb and public servant Greg Shanahan, said a domestic‑family‑violence risk assessment was not undertaken despite repeated referrals, limiting the department’s ability to recognise the cumulative impact of abuse.

The review identified systemic issues, including high workloads, recruitment challenges in remote areas, and allocation‑process delays, which together impeded timely intervention. The case prompted criticism of the Territory’s controversial “Every Child Matters” child‑protection law, with Aboriginal organisations describing the NT as a “pariah state” for Indigenous children’s safety. Jefferson Lewis, unknown to the child, has been charged with her murder and awaits trial.