>
The four-year-old boy found dead in the pool did not drown as police continue to investigate the cause of the mysterious death a year and a half ago.
- Tarrin-Macen O’Sullivan, 4, was found unconscious in a swimming pool in August 2021.
- The boy’s autopsy revealed his death was ‘inconsistent with drowning’
- Homicide detectives still looking for answers, no one arrested or charged
Mystery continues to surround the death of a four-year-old boy after he was found unconscious in a swimming pool a year and a half ago.
Tarrin-Macen O’Sullivan was discovered swimming at a Munburra property in the Mackay region of Queensland at 5pm on August 29, 2021.
Police confirmed that investigations are ongoing after a post-mortem investigation suggested that he may have been dead before entering the water.
A homicide investigation is underway, 16 months after a 4-year-old boy was found dead in a Queensland swimming pool.
Mackay Detective Inspector Tom Armitt said police did not know how or why the boy was in the pool.
Paramedics performed emergency CPR on the boy, but he was later pronounced dead at Mackay Base Hospital.
It wasn’t until two months later, when the autopsy results were released, that police realized the cause of death was “inconsistent with drowning.”
A murder investigation was opened and 14 months later the case is still open.
“Circumstances surrounding how and why that child was located in the pool are unknown,” Detective Inspector Tom Armitt said at the time.
The boy’s family assisted police with investigations and several witnesses were interviewed, but no one has been arrested or charged.
“We are dealing with the death of a four-year-old child and obviously a young child is very dependent on other people’s care,” Inspector Armitt said.
Tarrin-Macen’s father, Andrew O’Sullivan, who lives in Mackay, told 7 News he was devastated when police knocked on his door to reveal his son had died.
“It’s one of those things, no parent really has the ability to digest that,” he said.
Homicide detectives are continuing their investigation into the boy’s death after autopsy results showed it was “inconsistent with drowning.”
Bereaved relatives have described Tarrin-Macen O’Sullivan as having a “cheeky smile and a cute little giggle”.
The four-year-old boy was found unconscious in a pool on the Munburra property in August 2021 (file image)
‘No matter what, it’s going to be like a hit.’
He said Tarrin-Macen was autistic and the family had moved to Queensland from NSW to be closer to family support networks.
A GoFundMe fundraiser was organized on behalf of the Tarrin-Macens family the day after he died.
“Everyone who met Tarrin instantly fell in love with him,” the description on the fundraiser read.
“Whether it’s his cheeky smile and cute little giggle, or his unbelievable ability to grab his phone and within 30 seconds manage to change the language to Chinese, set 16 alarms, and adjust the font settings so you need binoculars to read your phone. .. touched so many of our lives and we just weren’t ready to see him leave this earth yet.’