NT child protection crisis deepens after baby flown to Darwin with ‘suspicious’ head injuries

The Northern Territory’s child protection crisis is deepening amid revelations a six-week-old baby was this week flown to Darwin with “suspicious” head injuries.

A report in The Australian revealed the infant was allowed to remain with its family in a remote Aboriginal community despite NT Health staff notifying the Department of Children and Families – before the child sustained its head injuries – that they suspected the baby had been sexually assaulted.

On Thursday NT Police told The Nightly it was investigating the baby’s “unexplained injuries”.

“The NTPF can confirm that it is investigating after family attended a remote Roper Gulf Region community clinic with an infant who had suffered unexplained physical injuries,” a spokesperson said.

“The injuries may have occurred between 13 April 2026 and 3 May 2026.

“Police received a mandatory report and an investigation is underway.

“No arrests have been made and the cause of the injuries is currently unknown.”

The latest allegations come as the Territory’s child protection department remains under intense pressure following the alleged murder of five-year-old Kumanjayi Little Baby in Alice Springs.

Child Protection Minister Robyn Cahill yesterday revealed three child protection case officers had been stood down pending an investigation into the handling of the little girl’s case.

Kumanjayi Little Baby was allegedly abducted from a town camp on the outskirts of Alice Springs on April 25. Her body was found near the dry Todd River bed five days later.

Jefferson Lewis, 47, has been charged with her murder and other offences.

It emerged this week that the little girl had been the subject of six child protection notifications to the DCF in the six weeks prior to her death.

“My reaction was I bloody knew it,” NT Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price said during radio interview on Thursday.

“The worst part was, it wasn’t a surprise. It was almost like an expectation that this would be the case.

“And it’s why I feel like for years I’ve been tearing the hair out and bashing my head against a bloody brick wall to say this needs to absolutely change.”

Senator Price told 360 with Katie Woolf there were “copious” cases of children being subjected to “horrendous acts of sexual violence” in the Territory and blasted the child protection system’s “lack of action” on notifications.

Senator Price, an aunt of Kumanjayi Little Baby, said the department consistently prioritised keeping at-risk children with their families over “saving their lives”.

“This concept of only Aboriginal people can take care of Aboriginal kids because of what occurred previously with the Stolen Generation should not apply here,” she said.

“It should be about these children being in the care of people who are going to love them, uphold their human rights, meet their needs, make sure that they’re taken care of, that they’re not neglected, that they’re not exposed to predators and that they can live wholesome lives.

“That should be the priority.”

Senator Price said the child protection system needed a “complete bloody overhaul”.

“I think it’s utter racism of low expectations to keep treating Aboriginal kids differently to other children in the system,” she said.

“Baby girl was involved in dysfunction and many, many kids’ lives are surrounded by utter dysfunction.”

Senator Price also called out Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy for insisting that now is not the time for debate about broader issues relating to child safety or town camps.

“Well, if not now, then bloody well when?” Senator Price said.

“I’m sorry, but as a family member to this baby, I say now is the perfect time to address this issue, because if there was a white perpetrator involved, we’d be all over it like a rash.

“That is shirking responsibility. Get out there and do your bloody job, Malarndirri.”

Senator McCarthy has not responded to questions from The Nightly.

Candlelight vigils will be held in Alice Springs and around Australia on Thursday night to honour Kumanjayi Little Baby.

“I know that a lot of locals have been hit hard and are feeling the grief and sadness, and so I hope it brings people together,” Senator Price said.

“But I also hope that there are those who think long and hard about how they think about these issues and how the infantilisation of Aboriginal people needs to stop.”

Tonight’s vigils come a day after Kumanjayi Little Baby’s grief-stricken brother Ramsiah celebrated his 12th birthday.

SNAICC – the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care – shared a photo from the bittersweet occasion on its social media pages.

The image showed Ramsiah, surrounded by family and friends, making the peace sign.

In front of him was a large decorated birthday cake featuring a printed image of him with his late sister and their mother Jacinta, alongside the Collingwood Football Club emblem.

“His first birthday without his sister, Kumanjayi Little Baby,” the caption said.

“His family and community wanted to make sure he had the chance to have his special day, especially during a time of such grief and sadness.

“The Town Camp community and family all kicked in for this amazing cake and some presents.

“Happy birthday Ramsiah.”