An Australian childcare centre and three staff members have been charged over the death of 22-month-old Ebony Thompson, who died after accidentally hanging on a pool-style gate while unsupervised. The incident occurred at Humpty Doo Community and Child Care Centre near Darwin.
The charges, filed by the education department, include inadequately supervising children and failing to protect them from harm and hazards, both under section 165 of the National Education and Care Services legislation. If found guilty, the provider and individuals face heavy financial penalties.
Ebony was found blue and unresponsive, trapped between the loops of a 90cm-high gate to a chicken coop. The gate was in a known supervision blind spot, and the toddler was unaccounted for about 10 minutes. The Northern Territory Coroner determined she suffered irreversible brain damage from accidental hanging while trying to peer at chickens.
Northern Territory Early Education Minister Jo Hersey said this is the first time NT childcare staff have been charged, sending a clear message that child safety must come first. She announced an overhaul of the regulatory authority, Quality Education and Care NT, with plans to cut funding from centres not meeting national standards.
The coroner recommended NT authorities push for national standards addressing entrapment risks and a public awareness campaign on loop and rod-topped fencing dangers. Ebony's family has called for a ban on loop-style pool fencing and a three-strike rule for centres breaching supervision obligations.
