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Home / World

Mum of girls who died in hot car to face court charged with murder

By Stephanie Bedo
news.com.au·
24 Nov, 2019 07:35 AM3 mins to read

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A 27-year-old mother has been charged with murder after two toddlers were found dead in a car south of Brisbane.

A 27-year-old mother has been charged with murder after two toddlers were found dead in a car south of Brisbane.

The lifeless bodies of two little girls were reportedly carried from their home soaking wet after desperate attempts to revive them.

Neighbours reported seeing the girls, Darcey-Helen, 2, and Chloe-Ann, 1, being carried out by police after they died in a hot car south of Brisbane on Saturday.

Their Logan mother, Kerri-Ann Conley, 27, will face Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday on two counts of murder after the girls were pulled unresponsive from the car outside a home in Waterford West about 1.35pm.

A 27-year-old mother has been charged with murder after two toddlers were found dead in a car south of Brisbane.
A 27-year-old mother has been charged with murder after two toddlers were found dead in a car south of Brisbane.

The temperature in the area at 1.30pm was 31C.

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The shattered father of Darcey-Helen, who he called "Pumpkin", told The Courier Mail he was devastated, also being a father figure to Chloe-Ann.

"Darcey and Chloe were loved by anyone and everyone who met them. I absolutely adored them both," the father, who asked not to be named, said.

"Darcey had a contagious laugh and Chloe really, although they were 12 months apart, wasn't really that far behind Darcey. I think she learnt a lot off Darcey, mannerisms."

He said the pair giggled all the time and repeated everything others said.

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"They were just two peas in a pod," he said.

Neighbours, who have paid tribute to the "gorgeous little girls", said they saw them soaking wet.

"The police were carrying the girls out … their shirts were ripped open like they'd tried to save them," one woman who did not want to be named told The Sunday Mail.

9News reports Ms Conley discovered the pair and rushed them inside in an attempt to cool their bodies.

Discover more

World

'Extreme heat': Two children found dead in car in Brisbane

23 Nov 06:49 AM
World

Murder charge after kids found in car

23 Nov 06:02 PM

It was claimed she desperately tried to splash water on them after finding them.

Queensland Police are urging members of the public who may have any information regarding the matter to contact them.

A friend of the family described the girls as "two beautiful angels".

"Darcey had a very caring heart for her sister and us all and the most amazing cuddles and kisses, and just as any toddler does, she liked to see how far she would get with being a bit mischievous," she told The Courier-Mail.

Neighbours said the family had moved in as recently as six months ago.

People have been laying flowers and tributes at the scene today.

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Detective Inspector Mark White said it was a very tragic incident.

"The two children exhibited signs of being exposed to extreme heat and that is forming the direction of our investigation," he said.

"We'll be speaking to quite a number of people to establish what was taken place.

"We are speaking with the parents of those children and it's just a very, very tragic incident that has occurred."

Neighbour Willow Dawes was visibly shocked by the distressing scenes.

Chloe-Ann Conley. Photo / Supplied
Chloe-Ann Conley. Photo / Supplied
Darcey-Helen Conley. Photo / Supplied
Darcey-Helen Conley. Photo / Supplied

"I came out when the ambulance pulled up and saw the children being brought out," she told the The Sunday Mail.

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"It's pretty upsetting and it was quite confronting."

One woman, who did not want to be named, said she knew the family and "gorgeous little girls".

"They were always dressed beautifully and just happy little girls," she told the newspaper.

"They were always out in the yard playing and they were always happy little girls, that's for sure. They were gorgeous little girls."

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