Three parents are facing court after being charged over the deaths of their own children in South Australia.
Shane Wanganeen faced Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday over his seven-year-old son Makai’s alleged manslaughter.
The 50-year-old didn’t apply for bail and appeared unable to keep his eyes open throughout most of the hearing.
He will return to court next week where he is expected to make a bail application.
One of the other parents, Jenni Wilmott, will also face court today charged with manslaughter over her adopted daughter Jasmine’s death in 2018.
Wilmott was charged with criminal neglect in 2020 but the charges were dropped in 2021.
She was arrested again yesterday after police gathered new evidence.
Crystal Hanley, the mother of Charlie Nowland, faced court yesterday and was granted bail at her home address.
The 47-year-old was charged with manslaughter in relation to her daughter Charlie’s death and the criminal neglect of four other children – aged between eight and 14 – living in the same home.
Her charges were described by the magistrate as extraordinarily serious.
She faces strict bail conditions that she can only see her other children within earshot and under the supervision of DCP staff at all times.
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Hanley will return to court in August.
The three arrests come after a taskforce was established in July last year to investigate Charlie’s death and subsequently Makai’s death.
None of the cases are linked, nor are the victims connected.
Assistant Commissioner John Venditto said yesterday it is “unprecedented” to charge three adults in a day with the death of a child in South Australia.
“The facts and circumstances that give rise to a charge of manslaughter are different in each case,” he said.
“What is the same, the adult charged with manslaughter owed a duty of care to the child at the time.”
Manslaughter or criminal neglect convictions can carry a life sentence, Venditto said.
Last year, two reviews into the state’s child protection system were launched to investigate how systemic failings may have contributed to the deaths of Charlie and Makai.
Former police commissioner Mal Hyde found there were 500 South Australian children who could be living in danger and criminal law did not have enough power to prosecute parents.
There were 31 recommendations made and the government agreed to adopt them all.
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