A woman accused of murdering her daughter allegedly threw the little girl’s belongings out and told people the toddler was living with an aunt in the two years before authorities discovered she was missing, a court has heard.
Key points:
- Kaydence’s mother, Sinitta Tammy Dawita, and her partner, Tane Saul Desatge, are committed to stand trial for murder, torture and interfering with a corpse
- Kaydence’s remains were excavated from a site at the Chinchilla Weir in March 2020
- Police said Kaydence had not been seen since 2016, when the then two-year-old was living with her mother
WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are warned that the following article contains an image of the deceased.
The remains of Kaydence Hazel Mills were found near the Chinchilla Weir in March 2020.
She would have been approximately two-and-a-half to three years of age when police alleged she was murdered by her mother, Sinitta Tammy Dawita, and Dawita’s partner, Tane Saul Desatge, some time between March and October 2017.
An investigation into her whereabouts was only launched in late 2019.
On Friday, the pair appeared in Dalby Magistrates Court via video link and were committed to stand trial on charges of murder, torture and interfering with a corpse.
During the hearing, Magistrate Kerrie O’Callaghan outlined details of the prosecution’s evidence of the alleged physical and psychological abuse inflicted on Kaydence before her death.
WARNING: The following evidence contains graphic detail of alleged abuse
The court heard a witness statement claimed the little girl was “abused every day,” “had to sleep on the toilet floor as she had nowhere else to sleep,” and “lived like an animal” at the family home in Chinchilla.
“[The witness said] Tane would flog her with a bamboo cane if she didn’t go to the toilet … and she had to be covered up when [the family] would go out because of the bruises,” Ms O’Callaghan said.
The court also heard the witness said the last time she saw the little girl she was lying on the couch covered in bruises – but she was gone the next day
“[The witness said Ms Dawita and Mr Desatge] said she had gone… [Ms Dawita] told her not to say anything and threw all of Kaydence’s belongings out.”
The court heard police launched an investigation into Kaydence’s whereabouts in September 2019.
“There’s evidence [Ms Dawita] told people during the period 2017 to early 2020 that she was concerned about Kaydence’s [biological] dad coming so she had her taken away to an aunt,” Ms O’Callaghan said.
“She told others she was with a family friend, that Kaydence lived in Brisbane, that she was with friends.”
A support worker also said that in October 2019 Ms Dawita did not acknowledge Kaydence’s existence and, when asked, said she lived with an aunt in Brisbane, the hearing was told.
Abdominal or head injury possible causes of death
The court heard that medical evidence indicates the cause of death “cannot be accurately determined,” but one expert suggested death could have been caused by abdominal trauma or a head injury.
Ms O’Callaghan said the evidence offered by the prosecution is “voluminous”, while submissions from both defendants argued there was no evidence to support a finding of intent to kill or cause grievous bodily harm.
She said, in her opinion, there was “strong evidence” of physical and emotional abuse of Kaydence and decided to commit Ms Dawita and Mr Desatge to face trial on the charges.
When asked if they wished to say anything, both defendants replied: “no, Your Honour.”
The matter was adjourned for a trial in the Supreme Court on a date yet to be set.
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