Tara Richardson charged with murder over death of her four-year-old son Tarrin-Macen found face down in a pool

A mother has been charged with murder following a more than two-year investigation into the circumstances under which her four-year-old son was found face down in a swimming pool.

Tara Richardson was taken into custody at the Mackay Magistrates Court in Queensland on Friday after detectives concluded a 2.5-year investigation into her son's death.

Ms Richardson called paramedics at 5pm on August 21, 2021, after discovering her four-year-old son, Tarrin-Macen, was face down in her backyard pool.

She has now been charged with murder (domestic violence) and interfering with a corpse after detectives claimed Tarrin-Macen died before entering the pool.

Regional crime coordinator Darrin Shadlow would not reveal how the boy actually died.

Tarrin-Macen's mother has been charged with murder after a two-and-a-half-year investigation into his death revealed she lied to officials when she told them he had drowned.

Chief Inspector Shadlow said the pool 'contained only a small quantity of water' and a post-mortem examination found no water in the boy's lungs.

“It was proved that the deceased child was not alive when he entered it [disused] swimming pool…at the rear of the property,” said Superintendent Shadlow.

He would not reveal how many hours had passed between Tarrin-Macen's death and Ms Richardson's triple-0 call, and that more information would emerge during the trial.

Ms Richardson lived with another man in a Sarina home on Munburra Road, but detectives confirmed she was the only person currently under investigation.

Chief Inspector Shadlow said the case had been 'challenging' for his staff and especially for Tarrin-Macen's father, Andrew O'Sullivan.

“However, some closure for him 1702009811 I suppose,” he said.

Regional crime coordinator Darrin Shadlow revealed that investigators found no traces of water in the boy's lungs and that no other people were being investigated for his death