An independent review into the circumstances surrounding the disappearance and death of five-year-old Warlpiri girl Kumanjayi Little Baby has highlighted significant shortcomings in the Northern Territory’s child protection system. The review, tabled in the NT parliament this week, examined the Department of Children and Families’ handling of Kumanjayi Little Baby’s case and found multiple missed opportunities to intervene and provide support for the child and her family.
Kumanjayi Little Baby went missing in late April 2026 from Old Timers, a town camp in Alice Springs known for issues such as violence and alcohol abuse. Two days prior, her father, Raphael Granites, had been arrested and detained on assault charges against her mother. Despite this, the review identified at least 24 occasions when child protection workers could have taken action to protect Kumanjayi Little Baby, her older sibling, and their mother. Tragically, the girl’s body was discovered five days after her disappearance on the dry bed of the Todd River, and 47-year-old Jefferson Lewis, unrelated to the child, has been charged with her murder.
The review pointed to systemic issues within the Department of Children and Families, including chronic understaffing—approximately 40 percent below capacity at the time—as well as gaps in staff capability and management oversight. It recommended substantial reforms, emphasizing early intervention and prevention strategies, stronger management oversight, clearer escalation processes, and the need for a better-trained child protection workforce held to defined standards.
Sue-Anne Hunter, the National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People, said the report confirms what family violence advocates had long warned: recorded incidents of violence were often not followed up adequately. She noted that the day of Granites’ arrest represented a critical moment when authorities should have intervened to provide stable support for the family. Hunter stressed the necessity of cooperation between the Northern Territory government and Aboriginal community-controlled organisations, which hold trusted relationships with local communities, to implement the review’s recommendations effectively.
Northern Territory Child Protection Minister Robyn Cahill acknowledged the review’s findings, describing the department’s failures as “unforgivable.” Cahill highlighted that child protection authorities were aware of Kumanjayi Little Baby’s difficult circumstances, including severe violence in the household, yet decisive action was not taken. The Finochioara government has since overhauled child protection legislation to prioritize child safety, a move supported by some but criticized by Indigenous Australians Minister Malandrini McCarthy and certain Aboriginal groups.
The review’s findings are drawing attention to wider concerns beyond the Northern Territory, with parallels being drawn to similar cases in Western Australia, including the recent inquest into the deaths of the Hawke children in Port Hedland. The cases have prompted calls from advocacy groups and families for all levels of government to enhance support systems for vulnerable children, including increasing the availability of foster care placements and improving the training and support provided to foster parents.
Overall, the report underscores the urgent need for systemic reform within child protection services to prevent further tragedies and ensure that warnings from police, medical professionals, and community workers lead to timely and effective interventions for at-risk children.