UPDATED: One of two teens who sparked national outrage for allegedly fracturing an eight-week-old baby’s skull during a mid-afternoon Alice Springs home invasion in December escaped custody Wednesday afternoon, after reportedly being permitted to attend a funeral in Lajamanu.
NT Police said in a statement on Thursday morning that the youth had travelled to the remote community “in the care of” the Department of Children and Families and “whilst subject to strict bail conditions”.
Facebook page Action For Alice first reported the teen had been granted bail for the funeral and flown to the community at a cost of more than $7,000 to Territory taxpayers.
It was not explained who authorised a private charter plane for the incarcerated teen.
Police issued another statement shortly after noon reporting that the teen was apprehended.
After the funeral on Wednesday, around 2:45pm, police said the teen was taken by departmental staff to a residence in the community “to collect personal items before returning to Darwin”. It was at the home that he and another community member fled into “thick scrubland at the rear of the property”.
“Police were notified a short time later and have deployed a number of resources, including the Fugitive Taskforce, to locate the male youth,” police media director Mark Wilton said.
In the updated statement, Mr Wilton said the teen was arrested by the Fugitive Taskforce in Lajamanu.
“He remains in custody and is expected to be charged later today,” he said.
The teen had been in custody since being charged with a number of offences related to the Alice Springs home invasion in December, that allegedly saw one of the youths hit the mother and the baby with a blunt weapon that left the baby with a fractured skull, requiring emergency medical treatment interstate.
So actually a breach of bail rather than the headline escape from custody. Still, there’ll be quite a few questions about this incident and be interesting to see what answers are provided. Would also be interesting to see what a FOI request about expenditure on law and justice-related charter flights came back with.
The name of the Judge who granted him bail should be made public so we can let them know exactly what we think of their stupid decision.
I have been doing this for fifty years, so permit me some credibility. The biggest joke in Aboriginal communities is the gullibility of very dumb whites in being suckered into granting attendance at funerals. This is used in every situation, from sickies to breaching parole and probation.
The second joke is tribal rehabilitation on homelands. Nobody monitors these and they are go-home-free tickets.
Either follow the prescribed law and ensure such procedures are genuine (some are) or do not make such court orders at all.
But a man who would crack a baby’s skull has earned the right to attend only one funeral, his own.