Red flags raised before Queensland girls die in hot car

Authorities were concerned that a girl was injured due to her mother’s drug-fueled neglect; years before she was left to die in a hot car, a coroner heard.

A Queensland Department of Child Safety official testified yesterday that she had documented concerns that Kerri-Ann Conley’s methamphetamine use would lead to her falling asleep while she was the sole caregiver for her then-infant daughter, Darcey.

The officer said in early 2018 that she “copied and pasted” details from an earlier report because she believed they still applied to Conley’s attempt to maintain custody of Darcey.

“Child Safety is concerned that Kerri-Ann will use ice (methamphetamine) or other substances when she is the only one caring for Darcey-Helen. She will fall asleep and not pay attention to Darcey-Helen (who) will be harmed or hurt. as a result,” the report states.

Nearly two years later, Conley left Darcey, then 2, and her sister Chloe-Ann Conley, 18 months, in the car at 4 a.m. on Nov. 23, 2019, at their home in Waterford West, south from Brisbane.

Conley had driven with the young children to her friend’s house at 11:32 p.m. and consumed methamphetamine.

She fell asleep after arriving home and left the girls sitting in the car and they fatally overheated as it reached an estimated temperature of 61.5°C when she woke up at 1:15 p.m.

Conley pleaded guilty in February 2023 to two counts of involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to nine years in prison to be eligible for parole in November 2024.

The inquiry in Brisbane is examining the adequacy of the Department of Child Safety’s response and the adequacy of its policies and procedures before the girls’ deaths.

The Child Safety officer, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, testified Thursday that Conley consented in 2018 to an Intervention with Parental Agreement (IPA) to regain custody of Darcey.

“I think she gave consent out of fear that her daughter would be taken. I don’t think she understood what the IPA was and I felt like she was saying ‘yes’ out of fear,” the officer said.

The officer said Darcey had been temporarily taken care of and Conley constantly said she was being given an ultimatum.

On Wednesday, the coroner heard from another child safety officer, who said he made the wrong decision and did not refer Conley for an investigation into allegations of child neglect, in part because of the department’s high caseload.

A senior team leader testified yesterday that the department had made considerable improvements to staffing levels and allowed extra time for difficult assessments.

A support officer said he was aware in November 2017 of allegations that Conley was selling methamphetamine to support his own drug use, but denied that the new mother had admitted to using synthetic urine to pass drug tests.

The investigation was due to conclude today.