Woorabinda: Small Outback town is rocked by four deaths in as many days as two young children, a teenager and now a school teacher all meet a tragic end: ‘Our community has gone through so much’

A small indigenous community has been rocked by the death of a beloved teacher in a week of tragedy that has also seen the deaths of two toddlers and a 19-year-old.

Kathryn Williams, affectionately known as KC, died on Monday, prompting the south-central Queensland town of Woorabinda, which has a population of about 1,000, to close its school.

Her death comes just days after two toddlers were found dead in a hot car and a 19-year-old female driver fatally crashed into a tree.

Mrs Williams died at Rockhampton Hospital, about 170km north of Woorabinda, after becoming incapacitated on Saturday.

“Our deepest condolences to friends and families of beloved KC (Kathryn Williams),” Wadja Wadja High School shared Monday.

‘Kind regards, the school will be closed on Tuesday 14/11/2023.’

Tributes poured in on social media for the mother-of-two, with many recalling the devastating period for the city.

‘Kathryn Williams, we were going to grow old together, I don’t know who I’m going to hang out with. Me and you sat and talked for hours, I’m forever grateful that you always listened to me,” friend Bowlie Cameron wrote.

He previously wrote a heartbreaking plea for Ms Williams to get better.

“Come on, Kathryn Williams, our community is looking for positive news and can you be that news, and please wake up today,” the message read.

“Our community has been through so much in recent months and something good needs to happen.”

Another close friend, Sandra Munns, said Ms Williams’ death ‘broke her heart into pieces’.

“I can’t believe you’re gone, my sister. The Woorie Forest will never be the same again. I promise I’ll watch your boys.’

‘Another beautiful soul that will soon pass away. You had a bond with everyone in this community, you were unique. You will be sadly missed by many,” another local wrote.

The small Queensland town of Woorabinda was rocked by four tragic deaths in four days after two toddlers died in a car and a 19-year-old female driver crashed into a tree.

On Friday evening, two boys were taken from an unused car in the backyard of a house Woorabinda house.

Family members found the younger child just before 8 p.m. and called paramedics to take him to the hospital. A rescue helicopter was on standby, but he could not be revived.

Police inspected the car over an hour later, at 9:15 p.m., when they found the three-year-old in the rear footwell. He was rushed to hospital but also pronounced dead.

The tragedy remains under investigation, but police suspect the boys may have climbed into the vehicle, were unable to get out and died from “heat-related stress.”

On Sunday, family members paid tribute to the older boy by collecting all his favorite items, including stuffed animals and a blue blanket decorated with cartoon trucks.

The grieving family of the older boy who died after being trapped in a car paid tribute by collecting his favorite items, including a blue blanket decorated with cartoon trucks

Temperatures in Woorabinda reached 34C on Saturday, but conditions inside vehicles could be up to 30 degrees warmer than outside.

The boys were not brothers, but were related.

Chief Inspector Darrin Shadlow said at a press conference on Saturday that the car was unused and the electrical systems, including the windows, were not working.

‘At this stage we are still investigating. They had not traveled in that vehicle; it was in the backyard of the home,” Supt Shadlow said.

“It appears this was a tragic accident where the children somehow got into the vehicle and were there for some time.”

A crime scene has been declared and detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

About six hours after the toddlers’ bodies were found, 19-year-old Miriam Grace Kemp died when her car struck a tree on Crane Avenue in Kawana, about two hours northeast.

Miriam Kemp, 19, died in a car accident around 3 a.m. Saturday. Her family lives in Woorabinda

Woorabinda is a small Indigenous community in Central Queensland, 170 km southwest of Rockhampton

She went to Rockhampton High School, but her family live in Woorabinda.

Ny Breaking Australia understands the teenager was involved in an altercation with several others just before 3am on Saturday.

She jumped into a Holden Berlina with her 17-year-old friend and crashed into a tree.

The pair got out of the car and called an ambulance, but Miriam died from her injuries before they arrived.

Her friend was taken to Rockhampton Hospital but has since been discharged.

The local population was devastated by the triple tragedy.

“Heartache for the entire community Woorabinda, this is too sad to wake up and immediately check Facebook when you see all this,” someone wrote on social media.

‘Woorabinda thinks too much about the community.’

Another said: ‘I have no words to just send some love to my people in Woorabinda who are feeling heartbroken.’