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The death of an Aboriginal baby in Katherine highlights need to improve systems, residents say - ABC News

A resident at a unit complex where an Aboriginal baby girl died on Sunday says he heard the child's mother asking police not to separate them when she was arrested.

The ABC understands police were called to the unit, in Katherine East, after reports of quarrelling and arrested the baby's 21-year-old-old mother.

They left the woman's two children, a five-month-old baby and a five-year-old girl, in the house with their father and grandfather who had been drinking.

'I need my baby'

Neighbour Jason Fuller said he heard the family arguing, saw the police arrive, and heard the mother being arrested.

"And the cops refused and told her: 'look, it's five o'clock in the morning now — you have to wait for a couple of hours and then you come back and get your baby'."

Two police cars and an ambulance are out the front of a house in Katherine East.
Neighbours say police and ambulances are regularly called to attend incidents at the housing complex in Katherine East.(ABC News: Jane Bardon)

Mr Fuller said the 21-year-old was then taken to the watch house.

The five-month-old baby girl died on Sunday morning while her mother was in police custody.

Mr Fuller said he heard the mother return a few hours later, distraught.

"When she got back from the watch house she was crying and smashing everything," he said.

"She was crying herself to death."

NT Police said they can not answer questions because they were preparing a full report on the circumstances, which would be delivered to the coroner.

They are not treating the death as suspicious.

A photo of a woman
Helen Lee said the tragic event highlighted a need to improve systems in circumstances such as this.(ABC News: Michael Donnelly)

A need to improve systems

Barunga woman Helen Lee sits on many of Katherine's community organisation boards.

She was sad to hear the young mother wasn't able to stay with her baby after she was put into police custody.

"Surely, they're aware she had a [five]-month-old baby; wouldn't you take the baby along with you? Or take the mother and baby to a safer place, whatever the circumstances," she said.

Ms Lee said the tragic event highlighted a need to improve systems in circumstances such as this.

NT Police officers in a group.
Police say they are investigating the death and will prepare a report for the coroner.(ABC News: James Dunlevie)

Public housing overcrowded

Kalano Community Association runs Katherine's Indigenous night patrol service. The organisation's CEO Bill Headley said there had been a drop in demand for their services during the pandemic.

"Our stats indicate that it's been a quieter period in Katherine during COVID-19 and part of that reason is that a lot of people actually went back to their own communities," he said.

Mr Headly said there was tension between some residents in public housing, which was fuelled by overcrowding and disadvantage.

"The major issues are overcrowding and a shortage of housing, then they resort to things like alcohol as a reliever from that stress," he said.

The baby's granddfather said he did not want to comment because he didn't know what happened to the five-month-old.

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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiZWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIwLTA2LTEzL2thdGhlcmluZS1hYm9yaWdpbmFsLWJhYnktZGVhdGgtbnQtcG9saWNlLWludmVzdGlnYXRlLzEyMzQ5NDQ00gEnaHR0cHM6Ly9hbXAuYWJjLm5ldC5hdS9hcnRpY2xlLzEyMzQ5NDQ0?oc=5

2020-06-12 20:16:48Z
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