NT child protection review finds extensive failings in five-year-old child's case

Minister accepts all 45 recommendations, calls for 'system-wide reset' of department

By LineZotpaper

Published20 October 2026

Read Time2 min

An independent review into the Northern Territory child protection department's handling of a five-year-old child's case before her alleged murder has revealed extensive failings, with the report calling for a 'system-wide reset' and all 45 recommendations accepted in full by the government.

The three-month review, conducted by former New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb and long-time senior NT public servant Greg Shanahan, was tabled in NT parliament this morning. It was commissioned in April by Child Protection Minister Robyn Cahill, weeks after the child was allegedly abducted and murdered.

The report found that the child's family had been known to the Department of Children and Families (DCF) for years, with repeated notifications about the child's exposure to domestic and family violence. These covered verbal and physical violence, breaches of domestic violence orders and coercive behaviour.

Minister Cahill told parliament the department had rated the child's safety as two out of 10 and found 'no signs of safety' after a violent incident. The case remained open for months with 'no tangible improved outcome' despite a further assessment noting vulnerability and increasing concern. No domestic and family violence risk assessment was carried out despite the escalating violence.

The review also found a lack of due diligence around family members relied on for protection. DCF said it does not routinely undertake formal police checks on people nominated by families.

Ms Cahill accepted all 45 recommendations, saying she had received multiple 'heartbreaking' briefs about children in care with 'notification after notification' – 30, 40, 60, 80 – and found serious gaps between what the law required and how it was applied.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The report highlights systemic failures in protecting vulnerable Indigenous children in the Northern Territory, a region with a long history of child protection crises.
The case of Kumanjayi Little Baby is emblematic of broader patterns where repeated notifications of harm did not lead to effective intervention.
The government's acceptance of all recommendations signals potential for reform, but implementation will be key to preventing similar tragedies.

Background

Kumanjayi Little Baby, a five-year-old Aboriginal girl, went missing from the Old Timers town camp in Alice Springs and was allegedly murdered in early 2025. The NT government commissioned the independent review in April after her death, tasking Webb and Shanahan with examining DCF's involvement with her family. The department had contact with the family for most of Kumanjayi Little Baby's short life, receiving multiple notifications about domestic violence but failing to act decisively. The review comes amid ongoing scrutiny of NT child protection services.

Key Perspectives

Minister Robyn Cahill: Accepted all 45 recommendations, describing the report's findings as 'confronting' and 'heartbreaking'. She noted that the system did not support recognition of the risk to Kumanjayi Little Baby and that her mother was left 'effectively responsible for protecting her children while experiencing violence herself.' Reviewers Webb and Shanahan: Found that DCF's failings are emblematic of widespread issues, not an isolated case management failure. They call for a 'system-wide reset' and a shift from a 'predominantly reactive model of responding to notifications of harm.' Critics and advocates: While the report is welcomed, concerns remain about whether DCF has the resources, training and leadership to implement 45 recommendations effectively, especially given the department's history of reform attempts.

What to Watch

Implementation timeline for the 45 recommendations and whether the NT government allocates sufficient funding.
The criminal case against Jefferson Lewis, due back in Alice Springs Local Court in December.
Potential further reviews or inquiries into other NT child protection cases with high notification numbers.

Sources

Breaking: Kumanjayi Little Baby review finds extensive failings · Darwin articles feed

Checked

11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 10 supported.

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Partly supportedMinister accepts all 45 recommendations, calls for 'system-wide reset' of departmentDarwin articles feed: “Ms Cahill tabled the report in NT parliament today and accepted all 45 recommendations in full. The reviewers call for a 'system-wide reset' of DCF”
SupportedNT child protection review finds extensive failings in five-year-old child's caseDarwin articles feed: “An independent review into the Northern Territory child protection department's conduct surrounding Kumanjayi Little Baby before her alleged murder has revealed extensive failings”
SupportedThe three-month review was conducted by former New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb and long-time senior NT public servant Greg ShanahanDarwin articles feed: “Former New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb and long-time senior NT public servant Greg Shanahan conducted the three-month review”
SupportedThe review was tabled in NT parliament this morningDarwin articles feed: “tabling their final report with 45 recommendations in NT parliament this morning”
SupportedIt was commissioned in April by Child Protection Minister Robyn Cahill, weeks after the child was allegedly abducted and murderedDarwin articles feed: “The review was commissioned by NT Child Protection Minister Robyn Cahill in April, weeks after five-year-old Kumanjayi Little Baby was allegedly abducted and murdered”
SupportedThe report found the child's family had been known to DCF for years, with repeated notifications about child's exposure to domestic and family violenceDarwin articles feed: “the report says Kumanjayi Little Baby's family had been known to the Department of Children and Families (DCF) since her mother was pregnant with her, receiving 14 notifications over six years about the little girl's exposure to domestic and family violence”
SupportedMinister Cahill told parliament the department rated the child's safety as two out of 10 and found 'no signs of safety' after a violent incidentDarwin articles feed: “She said the department rated Kumanjayi Little Baby's safety as two out of a score of 10, and found 'no signs of safety' following an incident in August 2022”
SupportedNo domestic and family violence risk assessment was carried out despite the escalating violenceDarwin articles feed: “She told parliament that no domestic and family violence risk assessment was carried out despite 'the escalating pattern of violence that she was being exposed to'”
SupportedThe review found a lack of due diligence around family members relied on for protectionDarwin articles feed: “The review also found there was a lack of due diligence from DCF around family members relied on to protect Kumanjayi Little Baby's mother and her two children”
SupportedDCF said it does not routinely undertake formal police checks on people nominated by familiesDarwin articles feed: “DCF ... advised that it does not routinely undertake formal checks, such as police history or intelligence checks, on people nominated by families”
SupportedMs Cahill accepted all 45 recommendations, saying she had received multiple 'heartbreaking' briefs about children in care with 'notification after notification' – 30, 40, 60, 80Darwin articles feed: “Ms Cahill said ... 'In file after file, I found children with notification after notification after notification. Thirty. Forty. Sixty. Eighty.' ... Ms Cahill tabled the report in NT parliament today and accepted all 45 recommendations in full.”