Latest news with #CorrectiveServices
ABC News
06-07-2025
- ABC News
Hopes Cleveland Dodd inquest can deliver lasting change in WA's juvenile justice system
The way some of WA's most complex and vulnerable children have been failed in recent years has drifted from the headlines recently. WARNING: This story discusses incidents of self-harm and contains the name and image of an Indigenous person who has died. Part of that is a good thing, because conditions in youth detention have so markedly improved. Lockdowns ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court are a thing of the past. Young people are out of their cells much more often and benefiting from a wide range of supports. In theory, we're on the path to a safer society for everyone. But the inquest into the state's first recorded death in youth detention, which probed more than a decade of troubles, has highlighted how similar progress in the past has been short-lived and eventually given way to a return to crisis. It makes the government's next steps, to do more than bandaid over problems, so critical, even if they are taken out of the public eye. The biggest bandaid to rip off is closing Unit 18, a hastily constructed youth detention facility inside the adult Casuarina Prison, where Cleveland Dodd fatally self-harmed nearly two years ago. The government first promised to build a replacement facility in late 2023, but it took nearly a year to work out where to put it and commit $11.5 million for planning and early site works. Nearly a year on again there is still no firm plans, no aimed completion date or money for construction. "It's important you get these things right," Corrective Services Minister Paul Papalia said during the week. "It's important that the design is thorough, it is informed by a lot of work, not just with people like architects and prison authorities but also the people who work inside those youth detention facilities right now." That is a fair point but it begs the question: why did that work only start after the state recorded its first death in youth detention, and more than a year after Unit 18 was opened? Implicit in the decision to create Unit 18 was an acknowledgement that a second youth detention facility was urgently needed. "The priority clearly at the time … was making the place safe, and that continued until the end of 2023 really," Papalia said during budget estimates, highlighting damage done to cells and a major riot. Three years on though, the waiting game continues. WA's top child advocate, Jacqueline McGowan-Jones, wants young people out of an adult facility "as soon as we can" — but said it was not a simple situation. "A couple of our neurodivergent kids actually find it really helpful to be over there because it's way less frantic and way less busy," the Commissioner for Children and Young People said. "What we need to do is make sure wherever our kids are, it is the best possible care and support." Part of that, Ms McGowan-Jones said, was about the facilities. But she said it was also about the supports available to young people to achieve the ultimate aim of detention — rehabilitation. "We have done some really great cohort work with programmes and initiatives and supports [recently]," she said. "We still need the right approach to individualised plans that look at this child, at this time, and what is going on for them and what is needed." Among the 25 recommendations put to Coroner Philip Urquhart at an inquest into Cleveland's death, many are addressed at that aim. But he also proposed another on Tuesday in an effort to learn from the mistakes of the past: hold a special inquiry into the systemic failures over the decade leading up to Unit 18's opening. While some of that information came out during the inquest — including how rushed decisions to open the unit were — the law prevents the coroner from making official findings or recommendations which are not closely connected to Cleveland's death. A special inquiry could make those findings, but would first have to be ordered by government, which seems unlikely. It's also an idea which has not found a lot of support. Ms McGowan-Jones said the money would be better spent on improving supports for those in detention and stopping others from going on to offend. One of the people who would likely be called before that inquiry, former Corrective Services Commissioner Mike Reynolds, agreed. Last year he told the ABC the state government never gave him the resources or support to do his job, especially as problems arose in youth detention. "The coronial inquest has already thoroughly examined the circumstances, decisions and systemic factors leading to the opening of Unit 18," he said this week. "A further inquiry risks duplicating that work without delivering new insights or practical solutions. "Instead … I believe the focus should shift to implementing the recommendations where possible, improving conditions and outcomes in youth detention, and strengthening accountability in a way that delivers real change for young people, staff and the community." His successor, Brad Royce, told media outside court this week that was exactly what he was doing. "There's over 630,000 young people in this state and we're talking, at any one time, less than 100 in care," he said. "They are in our care, we acknowledge that we have a lot of work to do and we'll continue to work hard in that space." Cleveland's death — and another suicide in youth detention 10 months later — has given Royce the resources to do that work now. One of his key challenges will be keeping the government's attention so that he continues to have those resources if everything goes to plan and youth justice issues drift further from the headlines.
News.com.au
23-06-2025
- News.com.au
Salim Mehajer set to be released from jail after five years behind bars
Disgraced former politician Salim Mehajer is set to be released from prison after he was on Monday granted parole, with strict conditions including he not associate with outlaw bikies. Mehajer will be released next month after the State Parole Authority on Tuesday handed down a decision to grant him parole on a long list of conditions. In a hearing before the Authority earlier this month, the Commissioner of Corrective Services opposed his release, citing a risk of reoffending, his lack of attitudinal change and Mehajer's continued denial of some of his crimes. This is despite a Community Corrections prerelease report recommending that Mehajer be released on conditional parole when he becomes eligible for release on July 18. The parole board took into account that he had completed all possible programs in prison, determining his rehabilitation was better served in the community where he will be under the watch of a psychologist and community corrections officers. Upon his release, he will have to be of good behaviour, report to a Community Corrections officer, participate in any domestic violence programs where directed, have ongoing treatment from a private psychologist and undergo drug and alcohol testing. He is also banned from contacting his victim and entering The Central Coast. As well, he must not have any communication with Outlaw Motorcycle Gang members or associates. Mehajer is serving a seven-year and nine-month prison term for domestic violence offences against a former partner, as well as fraud for forging his lawyer's signature. The former property developer and Auburn deputy mayor has been in prison since November 2020 when he was jailed for lying to a court and has served back-to-back sentences for multiple offences. Mehajer was jailed in November 2020 after he was found guilty of two counts of perverting the course of justice and one count of making a false statement under oath. The case centred on his lies in affidavits and under cross-examination that he used to secure relaxed bail conditions. In 2023, Mehajer was again found guilty in separate trials for unrelated fraud and domestic violence matters. Mehajer was sentenced to a maximum of seven years and nine months in jail for both sets of offences. He was found guilty by a jury of multiple counts of assault, one count of intimidation and one count of suffocation relating to his abuse of an ex-partner. He was found guilty of assaulting the woman by punching her in the head during an argument in his car, squeezing her hand and crushing her phone that she was holding, suffocating her by putting his hand over her nose and mouth until she passed out as well as threatening to kill the woman's mother. The following month, he was found guilty by a jury of two counts each of making a false document and using a false document. He was found to have created false statutory declarations and affidavits by forging the signatures of his solicitor, Zali Burrows, and sister. Last year, Mehajer pleaded guilty to his role in a bizarre staged car crash in an attempt to duck a court appearance. He pleaded guilty to 22 charges, including perverting the course of justice, making a false representation resulting in a police investigation, making a false call for an ambulance and negligent driving. He admitted to staging the car accident in Sydney's west in October 2017, with the court hearing that Mehajer orchestrated the incident in a bid to delay his court appearance for an unrelated criminal matter for assaulting a taxi driver, to which he later pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to a maximum of two years for the crash offences, with a non-parole period of 16 months. Mehajer will be released in July.
Sydney Morning Herald
20-06-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘It could have been fatal': What pushed crime author Mark Brandi to focus on writing
This story is part of the June 21 edition of Good Weekend. See all 15 stories. Mark Brandi, the author of five crime novels, starting with Wimmera (published in 2017 and winner of the prestigious British Crime Writers' Association Debut Dagger Award for an Unpublished Manuscript), writes about outsiders: heroin addicts, former prisoners, and child victims of poverty and violence. A look at his family background and his career in Corrective Services before he started writing full-time sheds light on why he is drawn to people on the margins. You were born in 1978 in Italy, the fourth son of migrants who ran a pub in Stawell, in rural Victoria. What was your childhood like? There were great aspects to growing up in the country. We went rabbiting, fishing, yabbying, all that stuff. The flip side was being in a small Victorian town which was very Anglo-Saxon. We were the only Italian family, which was tough, especially in the schoolyard. I couldn't make friends, and I didn't know why. You start to think, 'There's something wrong with me.' Then, some of the kids told me, 'My dad told me not to be friends with you because you're a wog.' Did that childhood experience feed into your interest in writing about people who are outsiders? Yes, definitely. Being an outsider myself created a greater degree of empathy for others on the margins. Plus, when you are on the outside, wanting to be accepted, you start to observe people closely. I was watching kids in the schoolyard – how they spoke, what they talked about – and that observational skill has helped me in my writing. Also, growing up in the pub, where I met people from all walks of life: farmers, police officers, chronic alcoholics, criminals. When I started working behind the bar, my dad always said, 'Don't make judgments about people based on how they look. Talk to them because everyone's got a story they want to share.' And that's what I found over time. You listen to people who might look a bit rough and they often had the most interesting stories. That sparked something inside me. When I sat down to write, it affected the subject matter I was drawn to. Your parents ran the pub successfully for many years. Then in the 1980s, the local police started to harass them. What happened? In the 1980s, there were [false] rumours that we were dealing drugs from the pub. At the time, thanks partly to Robert Trimbole [a prominent Mafia figure of Italian background who was involved in the drug trade in Griffith, in south-west NSW], there was a perception that Italians doing well might be linked to organised crime. The police started to take a keen interest in the pub, showing up regularly, checking patrons' IDs and security logbooks. It was relentless. It seemed like they were trying to drive Dad out of business. It was crazy because he was the most clean-living person you could imagine. Then, one night in 1985, there were people from out of town in the bar, drinking heavily. They started provoking some of the customers to violence, then pulled out their badges and said they were undercover police. They started to arrest patrons indiscriminately, grabbing them from their bar stools by the hair. I was seven and heard it all from my room upstairs. It was terrifying. They took people to the cells, then showed up the next morning and charged Dad with multiple breaches of his licence. When it went to court Dad ended up pleading guilty to illegal gambling on the premises – for having a footy tipping competition on the wall, which every pub in Victoria had at the time. None of the other charges stuck. The police kept up the harassment, and it was unbelievably stressful for my parents. It led to them deciding to sell the pub, which was a bitter pill for my dad. He loved running that pub. You studied criminal justice at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) then worked for 10 years in the criminal justice system in Victoria, including as a political adviser to the corrections minister. Tell us about that. I loved studying criminal justice: the law is fascinating, full of drama and good versus evil stories. We learnt about the social determinants of crime and why we label people deviants. After RMIT, I got a placement at the Department of Justice [now Justice and Community Safety], where I worked in multicultural policy, disability policy, emergency services, gambling and other areas. I went into the department a bit as a crusader, wanting to make a difference. That was partly born of that experience in the pub, seeing power exercised unjustly, and the terrible impact it can have on people. I wanted to do something positive, and that led me to work as an adviser to the corrections minister, advising on corrections, emergency services and counterterrorism. I loved that job. 'I don't believe that we are a meritocracy in that jingoistic way we like to believe. I don't think we are the land of the fair go.' Your latest novel, Eden, is about a man who spent time in prison, trying to rebuild his life. What did your work in corrections teach you about the prison system? I learnt that we essentially have the same cohort cycling through the prison system again and again. The recidivism rate is stubbornly stuck on about 40 per cent [on average] Australia-wide. It was dispiriting to see the impotence of some of the initiatives to address the problem. You can't just fix it through the prison or justice system. The broader social justice issue is how you keep people from getting into the prison system in the first place. You have written before about class in Australia. Are we the classless society we like to think we are? No. It's incredibly tough for people to overcome the circumstances that they're born into. I don't believe that we are a meritocracy in that jingoistic way we like to believe. I don't think we are the land of the fair go. A lot of people struggle throughout their lives and are sold this message that if you don't make it, it's your fault. That's not true. There are so many things beyond our control that affect our chances in life. Everyone is doing their best to live a good life; no one is seeking to fail. Let's talk about the role luck has played in your life. In 2010, you had some good luck. What happened? I decided I would like to do some writing, but needed money so I could move to part-time work. My brother suggested I go on Eddie McGuire's Millionaire Hot Seat because I was good at trivia. I thought I'd humiliate myself, but I won $50,000! That enabled me to move to part-time work and start a writing course at RMIT, which was life-changing. In 2012, you were a victim of an equally life-changing piece of bad luck. What happened? I was riding my bike down Brunswick Street in North Fitzroy, a busy area. A car turned right in front of me and didn't see me. It hit me, and I went flying over the handlebars. I had to have two shoulder operations and the recovery was painful; I was out of action for six months. It was unlucky, but in some ways it was a bit of good fortune because it brought things into stark relief for me. I realised it could have been fatal, and I got to thinking about what was important to me in my life. Of course, that was family and those close to me, but also my writing. I realised that I really needed to focus on it and give it a proper go. So I quit my job to jump into the financially precarious world of being a writer. It's a struggle; you can't plan for the future. Forget about super. I rely heavily on government grants. Is it worth it? I absolutely love it. There's nothing else I would want to be doing. When I'm writing a book I love being inside of it, even though my characters are often in difficult circumstances. The two most satisfying things are when I finish a book and I know it's working, and hearing from readers at writers' festivals. That is magic: you've created this imaginary world, and they've gone away and created something bigger out of it, with their own interpretation of it. That's what keeps me coming back to the page. Dogs feature in almost all your books, often in a prominent role. Why? I've always loved dogs. When I was a little kid having a tough time at school we had dogs, and they were my best friends. Dogs have no agenda; it's just unconditional love. They are special to me, so it's inevitable that they end up in my books. I'm paying tribute to their role in my life and the lives of many others. Why did you choose to be photographed in Melbourne General Cemetery for this article? It is just a couple of streets from where I live. My father is buried there, as are his parents, and I've spent a lot of time exploring its sprawling grounds, mostly while walking my dog. Then a few years back, while visiting my father's grave, I encountered someone sleeping rough near one of the mausolea. I began to wonder about what had brought him there. It was the spark that led me to write my latest book, Eden. It features in Eden very prominently.
The Age
20-06-2025
- The Age
‘It could have been fatal': What pushed crime author Mark Brandi to focus on writing
This story is part of the June 21 edition of Good Weekend. See all 15 stories. Mark Brandi, the author of five crime novels, starting with Wimmera (published in 2017 and winner of the prestigious British Crime Writers' Association Debut Dagger Award for an Unpublished Manuscript), writes about outsiders: heroin addicts, former prisoners, and child victims of poverty and violence. A look at his family background and his career in Corrective Services before he started writing full-time sheds light on why he is drawn to people on the margins. You were born in 1978 in Italy, the fourth son of migrants who ran a pub in Stawell, in rural Victoria. What was your childhood like? There were great aspects to growing up in the country. We went rabbiting, fishing, yabbying, all that stuff. The flip side was being in a small Victorian town which was very Anglo-Saxon. We were the only Italian family, which was tough, especially in the schoolyard. I couldn't make friends, and I didn't know why. You start to think, 'There's something wrong with me.' Then, some of the kids told me, 'My dad told me not to be friends with you because you're a wog.' Did that childhood experience feed into your interest in writing about people who are outsiders? Yes, definitely. Being an outsider myself created a greater degree of empathy for others on the margins. Plus, when you are on the outside, wanting to be accepted, you start to observe people closely. I was watching kids in the schoolyard – how they spoke, what they talked about – and that observational skill has helped me in my writing. Also, growing up in the pub, where I met people from all walks of life: farmers, police officers, chronic alcoholics, criminals. When I started working behind the bar, my dad always said, 'Don't make judgments about people based on how they look. Talk to them because everyone's got a story they want to share.' And that's what I found over time. You listen to people who might look a bit rough and they often had the most interesting stories. That sparked something inside me. When I sat down to write, it affected the subject matter I was drawn to. Your parents ran the pub successfully for many years. Then in the 1980s, the local police started to harass them. What happened? In the 1980s, there were [false] rumours that we were dealing drugs from the pub. At the time, thanks partly to Robert Trimbole [a prominent Mafia figure of Italian background who was involved in the drug trade in Griffith, in south-west NSW], there was a perception that Italians doing well might be linked to organised crime. The police started to take a keen interest in the pub, showing up regularly, checking patrons' IDs and security logbooks. It was relentless. It seemed like they were trying to drive Dad out of business. It was crazy because he was the most clean-living person you could imagine. Then, one night in 1985, there were people from out of town in the bar, drinking heavily. They started provoking some of the customers to violence, then pulled out their badges and said they were undercover police. They started to arrest patrons indiscriminately, grabbing them from their bar stools by the hair. I was seven and heard it all from my room upstairs. It was terrifying. They took people to the cells, then showed up the next morning and charged Dad with multiple breaches of his licence. When it went to court Dad ended up pleading guilty to illegal gambling on the premises – for having a footy tipping competition on the wall, which every pub in Victoria had at the time. None of the other charges stuck. The police kept up the harassment, and it was unbelievably stressful for my parents. It led to them deciding to sell the pub, which was a bitter pill for my dad. He loved running that pub. You studied criminal justice at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) then worked for 10 years in the criminal justice system in Victoria, including as a political adviser to the corrections minister. Tell us about that. I loved studying criminal justice: the law is fascinating, full of drama and good versus evil stories. We learnt about the social determinants of crime and why we label people deviants. After RMIT, I got a placement at the Department of Justice [now Justice and Community Safety], where I worked in multicultural policy, disability policy, emergency services, gambling and other areas. I went into the department a bit as a crusader, wanting to make a difference. That was partly born of that experience in the pub, seeing power exercised unjustly, and the terrible impact it can have on people. I wanted to do something positive, and that led me to work as an adviser to the corrections minister, advising on corrections, emergency services and counterterrorism. I loved that job. 'I don't believe that we are a meritocracy in that jingoistic way we like to believe. I don't think we are the land of the fair go.' Your latest novel, Eden, is about a man who spent time in prison, trying to rebuild his life. What did your work in corrections teach you about the prison system? I learnt that we essentially have the same cohort cycling through the prison system again and again. The recidivism rate is stubbornly stuck on about 40 per cent [on average] Australia-wide. It was dispiriting to see the impotence of some of the initiatives to address the problem. You can't just fix it through the prison or justice system. The broader social justice issue is how you keep people from getting into the prison system in the first place. You have written before about class in Australia. Are we the classless society we like to think we are? No. It's incredibly tough for people to overcome the circumstances that they're born into. I don't believe that we are a meritocracy in that jingoistic way we like to believe. I don't think we are the land of the fair go. A lot of people struggle throughout their lives and are sold this message that if you don't make it, it's your fault. That's not true. There are so many things beyond our control that affect our chances in life. Everyone is doing their best to live a good life; no one is seeking to fail. Let's talk about the role luck has played in your life. In 2010, you had some good luck. What happened? I decided I would like to do some writing, but needed money so I could move to part-time work. My brother suggested I go on Eddie McGuire's Millionaire Hot Seat because I was good at trivia. I thought I'd humiliate myself, but I won $50,000! That enabled me to move to part-time work and start a writing course at RMIT, which was life-changing. In 2012, you were a victim of an equally life-changing piece of bad luck. What happened? I was riding my bike down Brunswick Street in North Fitzroy, a busy area. A car turned right in front of me and didn't see me. It hit me, and I went flying over the handlebars. I had to have two shoulder operations and the recovery was painful; I was out of action for six months. It was unlucky, but in some ways it was a bit of good fortune because it brought things into stark relief for me. I realised it could have been fatal, and I got to thinking about what was important to me in my life. Of course, that was family and those close to me, but also my writing. I realised that I really needed to focus on it and give it a proper go. So I quit my job to jump into the financially precarious world of being a writer. It's a struggle; you can't plan for the future. Forget about super. I rely heavily on government grants. Is it worth it? I absolutely love it. There's nothing else I would want to be doing. When I'm writing a book I love being inside of it, even though my characters are often in difficult circumstances. The two most satisfying things are when I finish a book and I know it's working, and hearing from readers at writers' festivals. That is magic: you've created this imaginary world, and they've gone away and created something bigger out of it, with their own interpretation of it. That's what keeps me coming back to the page. Dogs feature in almost all your books, often in a prominent role. Why? I've always loved dogs. When I was a little kid having a tough time at school we had dogs, and they were my best friends. Dogs have no agenda; it's just unconditional love. They are special to me, so it's inevitable that they end up in my books. I'm paying tribute to their role in my life and the lives of many others. Why did you choose to be photographed in Melbourne General Cemetery for this article? It is just a couple of streets from where I live. My father is buried there, as are his parents, and I've spent a lot of time exploring its sprawling grounds, mostly while walking my dog. Then a few years back, while visiting my father's grave, I encountered someone sleeping rough near one of the mausolea. I began to wonder about what had brought him there. It was the spark that led me to write my latest book, Eden. It features in Eden very prominently.
The Advertiser
31-05-2025
- The Advertiser
Woman charged over daughter's murder taken to hospital
A mother accused of fatally stabbing her three-year-old daughter has been rushed to hospital after being found unresponsive. Lauren Ingrid Flanigan, 32, was found unresponsive in her cell at Brisbane Women's Correctional Centre on Friday night, police said. Queensland's Corrective Services said officers had responded to Flanigan suffering a medical emergency. Paramedics were called and transported the woman to the hospital. "Support is being offered to the responding officers and their colleagues," corrective services said in a statement. Police Minister Dan Purdie said the matter, which is "still unfolding", is under investigation by the Corrective Services Investigation Unit. "It's awfully sad, the whole circumstance of the situation, and that matter is under investigation," he told reporters in Brisbane on Saturday. Flanigan was being held in custody until her next court appearance in July after being charged with murder on Monday. Neighbours had called triple-zero after seeing a young child unresponsive in the front yard of a Moore Park Beach home, north of Bundaberg, about 4.45pm. When emergency services arrived at the home, they found a three-year-old girl, identified as Flanigan's daughter Sophia Rose, with several wounds. She died at the scene. A crime scene was established at the property, where police seized a knife. Police had said two other children, aged one and two, were also at the property at the time, but neither was injured. Both are in the care of their father. Acting Superintendent Brad Inskip said at the time that mental health and any prior interactions with police would likely form part of the investigation. Supt Inskip said first responders had encountered a "horrific" scene. "It's a terrible, terrible incident for everybody," he said on Tuesday. A GoFundMe has been established for the children and their father, with more than $48,000 raised. Family friend Connor Thompson, who has organised the fundraiser, remembered Sophia as a sweet child with an infectious laugh that could light up the room. "Her smile was like a ray of sunshine and her heart was as pure of gold," the fundraiser said. "Sophia always wanted to help and was the best big sister to her baby brother and sister. "Though her time here was short, the love she gave and the joy she shared will stay with us forever." Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 A mother accused of fatally stabbing her three-year-old daughter has been rushed to hospital after being found unresponsive. Lauren Ingrid Flanigan, 32, was found unresponsive in her cell at Brisbane Women's Correctional Centre on Friday night, police said. Queensland's Corrective Services said officers had responded to Flanigan suffering a medical emergency. Paramedics were called and transported the woman to the hospital. "Support is being offered to the responding officers and their colleagues," corrective services said in a statement. Police Minister Dan Purdie said the matter, which is "still unfolding", is under investigation by the Corrective Services Investigation Unit. "It's awfully sad, the whole circumstance of the situation, and that matter is under investigation," he told reporters in Brisbane on Saturday. Flanigan was being held in custody until her next court appearance in July after being charged with murder on Monday. Neighbours had called triple-zero after seeing a young child unresponsive in the front yard of a Moore Park Beach home, north of Bundaberg, about 4.45pm. When emergency services arrived at the home, they found a three-year-old girl, identified as Flanigan's daughter Sophia Rose, with several wounds. She died at the scene. A crime scene was established at the property, where police seized a knife. Police had said two other children, aged one and two, were also at the property at the time, but neither was injured. Both are in the care of their father. Acting Superintendent Brad Inskip said at the time that mental health and any prior interactions with police would likely form part of the investigation. Supt Inskip said first responders had encountered a "horrific" scene. "It's a terrible, terrible incident for everybody," he said on Tuesday. A GoFundMe has been established for the children and their father, with more than $48,000 raised. Family friend Connor Thompson, who has organised the fundraiser, remembered Sophia as a sweet child with an infectious laugh that could light up the room. "Her smile was like a ray of sunshine and her heart was as pure of gold," the fundraiser said. "Sophia always wanted to help and was the best big sister to her baby brother and sister. "Though her time here was short, the love she gave and the joy she shared will stay with us forever." Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 A mother accused of fatally stabbing her three-year-old daughter has been rushed to hospital after being found unresponsive. Lauren Ingrid Flanigan, 32, was found unresponsive in her cell at Brisbane Women's Correctional Centre on Friday night, police said. Queensland's Corrective Services said officers had responded to Flanigan suffering a medical emergency. Paramedics were called and transported the woman to the hospital. "Support is being offered to the responding officers and their colleagues," corrective services said in a statement. Police Minister Dan Purdie said the matter, which is "still unfolding", is under investigation by the Corrective Services Investigation Unit. "It's awfully sad, the whole circumstance of the situation, and that matter is under investigation," he told reporters in Brisbane on Saturday. Flanigan was being held in custody until her next court appearance in July after being charged with murder on Monday. Neighbours had called triple-zero after seeing a young child unresponsive in the front yard of a Moore Park Beach home, north of Bundaberg, about 4.45pm. When emergency services arrived at the home, they found a three-year-old girl, identified as Flanigan's daughter Sophia Rose, with several wounds. She died at the scene. A crime scene was established at the property, where police seized a knife. Police had said two other children, aged one and two, were also at the property at the time, but neither was injured. Both are in the care of their father. Acting Superintendent Brad Inskip said at the time that mental health and any prior interactions with police would likely form part of the investigation. Supt Inskip said first responders had encountered a "horrific" scene. "It's a terrible, terrible incident for everybody," he said on Tuesday. A GoFundMe has been established for the children and their father, with more than $48,000 raised. Family friend Connor Thompson, who has organised the fundraiser, remembered Sophia as a sweet child with an infectious laugh that could light up the room. "Her smile was like a ray of sunshine and her heart was as pure of gold," the fundraiser said. "Sophia always wanted to help and was the best big sister to her baby brother and sister. "Though her time here was short, the love she gave and the joy she shared will stay with us forever." Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 A mother accused of fatally stabbing her three-year-old daughter has been rushed to hospital after being found unresponsive. Lauren Ingrid Flanigan, 32, was found unresponsive in her cell at Brisbane Women's Correctional Centre on Friday night, police said. Queensland's Corrective Services said officers had responded to Flanigan suffering a medical emergency. Paramedics were called and transported the woman to the hospital. "Support is being offered to the responding officers and their colleagues," corrective services said in a statement. Police Minister Dan Purdie said the matter, which is "still unfolding", is under investigation by the Corrective Services Investigation Unit. "It's awfully sad, the whole circumstance of the situation, and that matter is under investigation," he told reporters in Brisbane on Saturday. Flanigan was being held in custody until her next court appearance in July after being charged with murder on Monday. Neighbours had called triple-zero after seeing a young child unresponsive in the front yard of a Moore Park Beach home, north of Bundaberg, about 4.45pm. When emergency services arrived at the home, they found a three-year-old girl, identified as Flanigan's daughter Sophia Rose, with several wounds. She died at the scene. A crime scene was established at the property, where police seized a knife. Police had said two other children, aged one and two, were also at the property at the time, but neither was injured. Both are in the care of their father. Acting Superintendent Brad Inskip said at the time that mental health and any prior interactions with police would likely form part of the investigation. Supt Inskip said first responders had encountered a "horrific" scene. "It's a terrible, terrible incident for everybody," he said on Tuesday. A GoFundMe has been established for the children and their father, with more than $48,000 raised. Family friend Connor Thompson, who has organised the fundraiser, remembered Sophia as a sweet child with an infectious laugh that could light up the room. "Her smile was like a ray of sunshine and her heart was as pure of gold," the fundraiser said. "Sophia always wanted to help and was the best big sister to her baby brother and sister. "Though her time here was short, the love she gave and the joy she shared will stay with us forever." Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
