New details after baby drowns in lake
Jaye Lee Walton was not brought before Ipswich Magistrates Court when his matter was first mentioned on Wednesday morning.
In court documents obtained by NewsWire, Mr Walton - who lives in East Innisfail in Far North Queensland - is charged with unlawfully killing Reef Hunter Walton on July 12, 2025 at Chatsworth Park, north of Gympie.
The Atherton-born Mr Walton's occupation is listed as a 'fisherman' in the documents.
He was arrested in the suburb of Bundamba – a suburb of Ipswich – on Tuesday following a major update in the police investigation into the child's drowning, which occurred on July 12. A man has been charged with manslaughter after a seven-month-old baby was pulled unresponsive from a campsite lake in Chatsworth Park, north of Gympie, on July 12. Supplied Credit: News Corp Australia
In bodycam footage of the arrest, a heavily-blurred Mr Walton, dressed in a white shirt, can be seen being led out by police in handcuffs.
He appears to stop for a cigarette before being led into a waiting police car.
Emergency services were called to Chatsworth Park about 10.40am on Saturday after reports the seven-month-old was found unresponsive in a lake.
The child was rushed to Gympie Hospital but died that night.
During a brief mention at court on Wednesday, lawyer Mark Butler – from Osborne Butler Lawyers – asked for his client's matter to be adjourned to Thursday. Police bodycam captures the moment the 42-year-old was led out of a Bundamba house in handcuffs by police. Supplied Credit: Supplied Mr Walton appeared to smoke while in handcuffs after the arrest. Supplied Credit: Supplied
The court was told this was to determine if Mr Walton was in a 'show cause' position with regards to a bail application.
Under Queensland law, defendants in a 'show cause' will need to demonstrate to a court their imprisonment on remand is not justified.
Outside court, Mr Butler did not comment on the matter as he hurriedly exited into the nearby watch house.
The major update in the case followed police on Monday saying the circumstances surrounding the baby's death were 'unclear'. Defence Lawyer Mark Butler did not comment following Mr Walton's appearance on Wednesday. NewsWire / John Gass Credit: News Corp Australia
Chatsworth Park is a well-used rest stop and campsite for highway travellers and has become a place where some homeless people stay long-term.
'Some people stay there permanently and some others are transient, they're just passing through town looking for a place to sleep and the council allows for that,' Inspector Mansfield said on Monday.
The lawyer for Jaye Lee Walton - who is charged with the manslaughter of a baby after an alleged campsite drowning incident - leaves court after his client's first appearance.
Police are hoping to speak to anyone who was in the area between 9am and 11am on Saturday – including drivers who may have just been passing through.
'We have information that other vehicles were parked up in the rest stop area,' Inspector Mansfield said.
'They either left just prior or during, we just don't know until we speak to them.
'There were a couple of vehicles that left the scene who may or may not have seen or heard anything, but we just need to track them down in case they did.'
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