The trial of two people accused of the murder and torture of two-year-old Kaydence Hazel Dawita Mills has begun in the Supreme Court in Toowoomba, Queensland. The toddler’s remains were discovered near Chinchilla Weir in March 2020, after a year-long investigation into her disappearance.
Kaydence’s mother, Sinitta Tammy Dawita, 32, and her partner, Tane Saul Desatge, 44, face charges of murder, torture, and interfering with a corpse. Both pleaded not guilty to the murder and torture of Kaydence but admitted to the lesser charge of interfering with her corpse.
Prosecutor Michael Lehane opened the case by revealing harrowing details of Kaydence’s life before her tragic death. He described how the young girl was subjected to extreme cruelty, including being made to sleep naked on a toilet floor and denied basic necessities like food and medical care. According to Lehane, the pair treated Kaydence “worse than an animal,” with the abuse stemming from Desatge’s personal grievances with Kaydence’s father.
The court heard that Kaydence’s living conditions were inhumane, with the toddler forced to eat her own faeces and beaten with objects like a taped bamboo stick. She was also isolated from her siblings and physically assaulted, including having bruises on her face and a shaved head the last time her older sister saw her.
Kaydence’s tragic end followed years of neglect, and medical examinations revealed that she had suffered multiple injuries, including a fractured rib and skull fractures. Despite the physical abuse, it was revealed that the child had been thriving in foster care before being returned to her mother, where the abuse resumed.
The two accused were said to have carried out a cover-up, telling lies about Kaydence’s death and hiding her remains. Prosecutor Lehane described the pair’s actions as a “litany of lies” meant to conceal their horrific crime.
In addition to the shocking abuse, the trial also revealed a history of domestic violence between the two accused. To ensure Sinitta Dawita felt safe during the proceedings, the court agreed to place a screen between her and her co-accused, Tane Desatge.
The trial, which is expected to last three weeks, will hear from over 50 witnesses, including neighbors and friends who may offer further insight into the abuse Kaydence endured before her untimely death.