Department of Human Services stopped monitoring toddler days before her death

News Corp Australia

CHILD protection workers who intervened in the care of a Victorian toddler stopped monitoring her welfare weeks before the little girl was beaten to death, a court has been told.

John Clifford Torney, 32, is standing trial in Mildura accused of murdering his girlfriend’s daughter Nikki Francis-Coslovich at the family home in August 2015.

The Department of Human Services intervened in Nikki’s care in the month before she died in the belief she was at risk, child protection manager Teresa Cavallo told the Victorian Supreme Court trial on Thursday.

But a week after the department said the two-year-old was “at significant risk while in the full-time care of her mother”, they closed her file on July 13, 2015.

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John Torney is on trial over the toddler’s death.
Camera IconJohn Torney is on trial over the toddler’s death. Credit: Supplied

Torney has denied murdering the toddler on August 25 that year and alleges his then girlfriend, Peta-Ann Francis, killed her daughter.

Police found the girl’s body in the roof cavity of the family home a few hours after Ms Francis, who is a key witness for the prosecution, found her missing.

The defence alleges Ms Francis asked Torney to hide the girl’s body and go along with the missing person’s report.

An autopsy found Nikki died of blunt force trauma to her chest and body, and had injuries to her kidney, liver and skull from being repeatedly bashed.

A pathologist believes the toddler died within an hour of receiving her fatal injuries.

The prosecution allege there is a four-hour window during which Torney bashed the girl to death, while her mother was running errands.

But the defence say Ms Francis was also at home during the time it’s alleged the girl was fatally beaten.

The Mildura home where toddler Nikki Francis-Coslovich was found.
Camera IconThe Mildura home where toddler Nikki Francis-Coslovich was found. Credit: News Corp Australia, Tony Gough

Ms Cavallo on Thursday said child protection officers had been monitoring Ms Francis since 2010.

They continued to monitor her family after Nikki was born in 2013.

The family’s file was closed after Nikki was placed in daycare, which welfare offices believed alleviated some of their concerns about her home environment and Ms Francis’ “lack of parental capacity”.

An employee from the daycare centre described the two-year-old as friendly and outgoing.

“Nikki was a sweet girl,” said Silvana Sircosta.

The trial continues.