Mother tells NSW inquest of 'happy and cheeky' son gone too soon

Australia Broadcast Center

19-05-2025

The mother of a 14-month-old boy found not breathing in his cot in a Wagga Wagga home has reflected on her "happy and cheeky" son as the final evidence was presented before an inquest into his death.
The boy, who can only be referred to as KBS for legal reasons, was rushed to Wagga Base Hospital on January 13, 2019, but was later pronounced dead.
The inquest has previously heard his injuries included broken ribs, a cigarette lighter burn on his hand and ankle, and blunt force trauma.
An autopsy found the boy died from a ruptured spleen caused by blunt force trauma.
The boy's mother fought back tears in the Wagga Courthouse on Monday as she remembered her baby.
He was a "happy and cheeky boy who loved to dance", she told the inquest.
"He loved to dance so much, we would call him our little dancer," she said.
She said his birth in 2017 brought light into her life when she was going through a "very tough time".
"I don't have the words to describe the impact losing [my son] had on me and my family," she said.
"I didn't get much time with my son, but the time I did have was the best time of my life.
"I wish I could get him back just to tell him how much I loved him and how special he was to me and my family."
In a written statement, the boy's paternal great-grandfather also told of the immense loss the boy's death had on the family.
He recalled meeting his great-grandson around the time of his first birthday when he was "just starting to walk".
"Sadly, this was only time I met him," he said.
"The next time I saw him was in his coffin being buried."
He said the impact of the boy's death had been "onerous" on the family.
"His death has devastated all of us," he said.
It came as the inquest heard evidence from a former Mission Australia regional manager who was overseeing a Brighter Futures case involving KBS.
They said a new safety assessment should have been completed in the weeks leading up to his death.
The court heard evidence the boy had been in the care of his grandmother in November 2018, but by early the following month, he was back with his mother who had returned to Wagga from the coast.
This was despite prior concerns that the boy's mother had previously been using ice and neglecting her children.
The manager said when the boy returned to his mother's care, it should have prompted case workers to conduct a new safety assessment.
However, the inquest also heard the Brighter Futures program was voluntary, and that unlike case workers with the Department of Communities and Justice, their Mission Australia counterparts did not have the power to compel families to comply.
Meanwhile, a former Mission Australia case worker also told the inquest the family of KBS had begun to disengage in the weeks leading up to the boy's death.
Mission Australia became involved with the family about November 2018 after a referral from the Department of Communities and Justice.
Just weeks later, a new case worker had taken over.
The case worker conducted a couple of cold call visits on the family in January 2019 and could "hear people inside" but the doors weren't answered.
"That's when I had concerns they were avoiding me," she said.
Deputy state coroner Carmel Forbes will return findings at a later date.