Jaye Lee Walton, charged with manslaughter after 7-month-old drowned at Queensland campsite to seek bail
A man accused of manslaughter over a baby’s drowning at a lakeside campsite intends to apply for bail, a magistrate has heard.
Jaye Lee Walton was not required to appear in person in Ipswich Magistrates Court on Wednesday for the first mention of his charge of manslaughter as a domestic violence offence.
The 42-year-old was arrested on Tuesday after the seven-month-old boy was discovered on the weekend by his mother in a lake at Chatsworth Park, near Gympie, north of Brisbane.
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Defence solicitor Mark Butler told Magistrate Robert Walker he would need to determine whether Walton was presumed to be entitled to bail or would have to argue he should not be detained.
“It’s a discussion with (the prosecutor’s) office about a point of law issue, whether (Walton) finds himself in a show-cause position and if agreement can be reached on that point,” Mr Butler said.
“I anticipate an application for bail will be made tomorrow.”
The boy’s family were passing through on their way back to far north Queensland and camped at Chatsworth Park about 50m from the water’s edge on Friday night, police said.
The mother called emergency services after she found her child unresponsive in the lake on Saturday morning.
People performed CPR before the baby was rushed to the hospital, but the child was declared dead later that night.
Police on Monday said the mother was unable to explain how the infant ended up in the water.
“The mother of the child retrieved the child from the water. It’s been a very traumatic experience for her, clearly,” Detective Inspector Craig Mansfield told reporters.
Walton was later arrested after homicide detectives took up the case.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Jo Colston on Wednesday did not oppose Mr Butler’s application to adjourn the matter for one day.
Mr Walker ordered that Walton be remanded in custody to appear in person in Ipswich Magistrates Court on Thursday.
Mr Butler declined to comment outside court.
