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A 5-year-old boy was found dead restrained to a sleeping bag with duct tape that doubled as a blindfold in an alleged twisted effort by his parents to help him sleep in the Northern Rivers region of Australia, according to local reports.
Cops were called to a home in the town of Grafton, located around 400 miles north of Sydney, around 6:40 a.m. Monday following reports that an unresponsive boy was found, the New South Wales Police said in a news release.
Officers began CPR on the boy until paramedics arrived but the tragic 5-year-old was unable to be saved, police said.
The little boy and his siblings had been restrained in sleeping bags with duct tape — which doubled as a blindfold at bedtime, the Sydney Morning Herald reported, citing police sources.
The child’s father and stepmother were home when he died and allegedly told detectives duct tape was used to help the children sleep, according to the publication.
Specialist police forensically examined the home and a post-mortem will determine the little boy’s cause of death, cops said.
No arrests have been made in connection to the boy’s death.
The family, who have not been publicly identified, had been on the radar of the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) for at least a year, the Herald reported.
Cops believe the youngster lived with an intellectual impairment and police had been called to the home last year for a welfare check.
“The Department of Communities and Justice is aware of the tragic death of a young child in Grafton,” a DCJ spokesperson told the Australian outlet.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to those who knew and loved this child.”
National Party of Australia politician Richie Williamson described the child’s death in his community as “traumatic news.”
“It’s devastating, it’s sad, and it’s something that has upset many in the Clarence community,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
The Australian pol said he was disturbed by reports that authorities had “known about the family for sometime,” adding that, “If DCJ knew about this family … and this unthinkable incident has happened, somebody needs to take responsibility.”
“It is not OK to simply say: ‘We’ll have a review, we’ll hide behind a press release,’” Williamson slammed.
“The government, the minister must front up and explain to my community what has happened here, why it has happened and if she doesn’t, the minister should resign.”