Kya Buller
Warning: This article contains descriptions of child abuse and neglect that some readers may find upsetting
The tragic case of Darcey-Helen Conley, aged two-and-a-half, and Chloe-Ann Conley, 18 months, who died after being left alone in a hot car by their mother shocked people all over the world.
The devastating losses took place on November 23, 2019, in Waterford West, south of Brisbane, Australia.
The car they were left in is reported to have reached the shocking estimated temperature of 61.5C.
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The mother of the two youngsters, Kerri-Ann Conley, left her children in the hot car from the early hours of 4am after returning home from her friend’s house and taking methamphetamine.
In 2023, following her arrest, Kerri-Ann pled guilty to two counts of manslaughter and was given a sentence of nine years.
In November 2024, she will become eligible for parole.
It has now emerged via a five-day inquest that the grandmother of Darcey-Helen, Deanne Power, gave a chilling warning before the deaths of both children.
It has now come to light that Deanne had contacted Child Protective Services (CPS) after learning that Kerri-Ann was understood to be using marijuana and meth, and deeming the living situation to be ‘unsanitary’.
This is understood to have taken place a year before the deaths.
Darcey-Helen’s father, Peter Jackson, has previously spoken out and claimed ‘no one listened’ when he brought up his concerns about the children's care to the state’s child safety department.
He is now suing the government of Queensland for personal injuries he claims to have suffered as a result of the girls’ deaths.
Their grandmother, Deanne, said during the inquest: “I said that (Darcey) was in danger living with her mother. I said Peter had a phone call from the daycare lady saying Darcey had no lunch.”
She added that before the children passed away, child safety workers were ‘played a phone message in which Kerri-Ann admitted falling asleep on the couch and leaving Chloe-Ann in the car all night’.
Peter’s cousin, Tamara Jackson, also told the inquest that the CPS were aware of Kerri-Ann’s drug use.
She said: “Previously Kerri-Ann had admitted she was buying urine online and doing false drug tests. She said this in front of (a child safety support worker) but nothing was done.”
She also claimed she showed police a text message from the very same same child safety support officer, telling Kerri-Ann to ‘stay off that s**t if you can’.
Jackson concluded: “They clearly knew she was using.”
Darcey-Helen’s great aunt, Deborah Jackson, added further context of Kerri-Ann’s parenting. She told the inquest that Kerri-Ann left the hospital after giving birth to Darcey to use drugs.
She added: “She [Kerri-Ann] went to her drug dealer and did not get back to the hospital until 3am.”
Last year, in April 2023, Peter said his daughters were ‘innocent babies’ who had ‘their whole lives ahead of them'.
He said: “Every day since then has been a living nightmare. My world has unravelled and I will never be the same after losing them.”