Two staff members from the New South Wales Department of Communities and Justice have been suspended following a review that found “significant failures” led to two foster children being placed in a home with convicted triple murderer Regina Arthurell. The review, made public on Wednesday, revealed that the department was warned about Arthurell’s presence in the home in December but failed to act.
The children, aged 12 and 14, lived alongside Arthurell until her removal last month. The review was initiated in March after NSW Minister for Families and Communities Kate Washington apologised on 2GB radio, confirming the removal only occurred after the radio station revealed the situation. The investigation was led by the department’s secretary, Michael Tidball.
Washington stated that two staff members have been stood down pending misconduct investigations into allegations they did not follow departmental procedures. “There are difficult decisions made daily by our case workers, but we do expect them to follow department policies and procedures, and that’s what didn’t happen on these occasions,” she told 2GB.
The review noted that a report from a member of the public via the Child Protection Helpline on 23 December warned about Arthurell’s presence, but it was closed based on “unverified” information about her age, mobility, and supervision—including that she purportedly used a wheelchair and required a full-time carer. Washington said this was not investigated, contrary to policies and procedures.
A second failure occurred on 5 March when a second child moved into the home without a “simple check” of the department’s system. Washington said the system would have shown the earlier concerns. Arthurell, convicted of two counts of manslaughter and one count of murder, was released in November 2020 and placed on an extended supervision order, which expired in December 2024.
