A social worker overseeing the case of an "extremely unwell" premature baby in a North Queensland hospital has told an inquest that she did not report her concerns about his parents to the Department of Child Safety before he was moved to another hospital.
Eight-month-old Daniel Thomas Wright died at his family home in Bowen in early 2019, less than two weeks after he was discharged from hospital into the care of his parents, Zara Williams and Benjamin Wright.
Daniel was born at 24 weeks' gestation on July 28, 2018, and spent most of his short life in the Townsville University Hospital before being transferred to the Mackay Base Hospital, which was closer to his parents' home.
Daniel died 11 days after he was discharged from the Mackay hospital and taken home by his parents.
A coronial investigation, which began in Bowen today, will examine whether Daniel’s eventual discharge from hospital was appropriate, and will look at the sharing of information between the Mackay Hospital and Health Service and the Department of Child Safety, among other matters.
Social worker gives evidence
Former Townsville University Hospital support worker Susan Thompson was the first witness to be called by Deputy State Coroner Stephanie Gallagher.
Ms Thompson's primary responsibility during the majority of Daniel's time at the Townsville hospital was to support his family.
Early in her evidence, Ms Thompson told Counsel Assisting Claire Grant that she did not believe Daniel's parents could take care of their son, and that a report to the Department of Child Safety would be necessary at some point.
"I did not believe that the parents had the intellectual capacity to care for or protect Daniel if they were to take him home," Ms Thompson said.
Ms Thompson said she observed a lack of parent-child connection in Daniel’s case.
"At no time did I believe Zara or Ben demonstrated any bond towards Daniel," she said.
Child Safety not contacted about concerns
Ms Thompson also told the inquest she suspected Ms Williams had an intellectual impairment and that she had observed Mr Wright being coercively controlling and aggressive towards her.
Ms Thompson also made observations that the former couple had poor personal hygiene, ill-fitting clothes, a limited financial capacity, and a lack of understanding of Daniel’s clinical care whilst he was in hospital.
Despite these concerns, Ms Thompson said she did not make a report to the Department of Child Safety before Daniel was transferred to the Mackay Base Hospital because she did not believe his discharge was imminent.
"He was an extremely unwell baby," she said.
By the time Daniel was transferred from the Townsville University Hospital to the Mackay Base Hospital Ms Thompson was working in another hospital department.
She said she did, however, conduct a verbal handover with the Mackay Base Hospital where she voiced her concerns about Daniel's family's ability to parent.
She did not provide a written handover.
The inquest continues.