Police said there were unresolved reports regarding the 13-year-old boy prior to his death
During the coroner’s investigation into the death of 13-year-old Buddha Spencer in Port Lincoln, Australia, it was revealed that three reports had been filed with the child abuse hotline regarding him in the month leading up to the tragedy. The boy died on May 11, 2021, after the dumpster where he was sleeping with two other boys, aged 11 and 12, was emptied into a garbage truck.
According to ABC News Australia, the other two children, who were in the care of the Department of Child Protection (DCP), were unharmed. The night before, the three boys had spent the night in the stands at a local sports field and then decided to stay together.
Acting Police Sergeant Maddison Sellik told the court that she had submitted three online reports to the appropriate hotline. She said that for two of the reports, she also called to ensure the DCP took action. The sergeant noted that she was unaware of any actions taken by the department.
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One report was filed after police learned that Buddha was at an address that law enforcement believed to be a location where drugs were being used and distributed. The second report was filed after he violated the curfew imposed as a condition of his bail and cannabis was found in his shoes. The third report is dated May 6, five days before his death, after the young man’s mother told the police she could not handle him.
The court also heard that Buddha had a hearing impairment and learning disabilities. A police report dated May 6 noted that he lived in a family environment with insufficient support and almost no supervision, and that the DCP did not have an active case file on him.
First Class Sergeant Dianne Baker-Tegg stated that on April 30, she sent a letter to the manager of the local DCP office expressing concern about the boy’s well-being, but received no response. She also said that office staff had reported staffing shortages and operational constraints. The hearings will continue in Adelaide, where staff from the DCP and the Department of Social Services will be heard.
