The Queensland Government should consider compensating two young men with autism found in a locked room at their Brisbane home severely malnourished and naked, the disability royal commission has recommended.
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In a 222-page report into the brothers’ case, handed down today, the commission also recommended the State of Queensland apologise to the siblings, known by the pseudonyms Kaleb and Jonathon, for “omissions in preventing violence, abuse, neglect and deprivation of their human rights”.
After a triple-0 call from a family friend, the siblings, then aged 19 and 17, were found unclothed in a room with the door handles removed in May 2020.
Their father, who had a terminal illness, was found dead at the home.
At a press conference on Tuesday morning, Child Safety Minister Craig Crawford apologised to the brothers on behalf of the government.
“I want to sincerely apologise to Jonathon and Kaleb for what occurred to them over the 20 years as disclosed by the royal commission,” he said.
“This should never have happened.
“This should not happen in our country, and it should not happen in our state.
He said the government would consider the report’s findings and release its response in “due course,” but wanted to deliver an apology to the family first.
The commission recommended an independent review be ordered into the brothers’ case “at the earliest opportunity”.
It said the review should probe the “powers and responsibilities or all the departments and agencies that engaged” with Kaleb, Jonathon and their father.
(ABC)
