Perth, Australia: Heartbreaking new details emerge about 10-year-old boy who took own life

The parents of a 10-year-old boy who killed himself in state care had to jump through “hoop after hoop” in their failed bid to be reunited, a lawyer says.

The child, who cannot be named for legal reasons, died in Perth on Friday evening while in the care of the Department of Communities.

WA Premier Roger Cook said the death was concerning and a tragedy and he would support expediting the coronial investigation.

National Suicide Prevention and Trauma Recovery Project Director Megan Krakouer said the boy was removed from his parents’ care four days before Christmas in 2020 while they were living in a tent.

She said in the years since they had created a stable home and worked with the department in an effort to reunite their family, but it had been unsupportive and judgmental.

“Their hearts are broken,” she told AAP on Thursday.

“They’re good people, respectful people, loving people.”

Ms Krakouer, acting on behalf of the parents, said they felt there had been an incredible power imbalance and that the department had ignored them as they tried to reunite their family.

“They made them jump through hoop after hoop after hoop,” she said.

“Some of the words they used were ‘grooming’ and ‘manipulation’ and they also said they were looked down upon.”

Ms Krakouer said the boy’s parents were allowed to see him as a couple for the first time since he was taken from their care, at a mortuary.

She said the department had failed the family.

“Twenty-six case managers in four years and there wasn’t even a cultural safety plan,” she said.

Mr Cook said the boy’s death was ‘very sad’ and had given him ‘reason to think’.

“It’s always devastating when you see a young child resort to what must be the most desperate act: taking his own life,” he said.

“It makes you wonder what else we can do to make sure we keep young people safe.”

The Department for Communities said it could not comment on individual cases.

“The death of any child or young person is a tragedy that has a devastating impact on the families, friends and communities involved,” the spokesperson said.

‘Any death of a child in care automatically leads to a coronial inquiry and we support all cases of this nature that are investigated.’

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said it was “impossible not to be moved by” the boy’s death and that it was a “tragic circumstance”.

“It certainly says something about the fact that we face enormous challenges in the future in terms of closing the gap,” he told ABC TV.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney said the death was “shocking, heartbreaking and requires deep reflection.”

“My heart goes out to the Washington family and community who lost a son so young,” she posted on X.

Senator Lidia Thorpe called on the federal government to implement the recommendations of the 1997 Bringing Them Home report.

“Minister Burney and the Prime Minister are failing to protect First Nations children,” she said.

“They should be deeply ashamed of the news of this young boy’s death.”

WA Liberal Leader Libby Mettam said the department was under-resourced and allegations the boy had 26 caseworkers in just over three years were disturbing.

“It’s clear this is a department in crisis,” she said.

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