An Australian couple have been charged with murder after their two-year-old daughter died in hospital.
Detectives arrested a man, 37, and woman, 38, in the coastal city of Mackay on Wednesday, charging each with once count of murder and responsibility to have a birth registered.
Their toddler, Diana Jane Hanbury, was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Mackay Base Hospital about 8pm on December 29, 2022.
The couple have been identified as Adam and Jessica Hanbury, according to The Courier Mail.
Police soon launched a probe into the incident, named Operation Uniform Vauxhall.
Addressing the media on Wednesday afternoon, Detective Superintendent Darrin Shadlow said police will allege Diana’s parents had shown “reckless indifference” by not ensuring the toddler received proper medical care.
“The child had been sick for some time,” he said.
“Police will be alleging the two-year-old child victim was denied medical intervention, from the parents, subsequently causing the death of the child.”
The arrests come after police released CCTV footage in February last year of people at a chemist and supermarket in Andergrove just hours before Diana’s death.
The two-year-old girl can be seen in the vision strapped to the back of a woman wearing a harness, accompanied by other children as they visit the chemist and Coles.
At the time they urged anyone at the shopping centre to come forward.
“We wish to speak to those people because we believe they may have seen something in relation to the deceased child,” Mackay Detective Acting Inspector Chris Eaton said.
“We knew the child was sick prior to her death. Part of our investigation centres around those days leading up to the child’s death and in particular the care provided to the child in those days.”
Both Mr and Ms Hanbury are expected to appear in the Mackay Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.