Childcare worker sentenced for 80 assaults on babies in Cape York
Edwina Ling assaulted more than 80 toddlers in late August and early September 2024 and received a four-year prison sentence.
A Cape York childcare worker has been sentenced to four years in prison after assaulting three toddlers more than 80 times over three days in late August 2024. Edwina Ling slapped, kicked, threw and grabbed a 13-month-old baby 55 times, and also assaulted two other young boys.
CCTV footage captured all the attacks. The baby's parents say they noticed marks on their child but were told another child in the room had caused them.
The court heard Ling had struggled with drugs, alcohol and mental health issues. She will be eligible for parole after 12 months.
A larger problem emerged: the centre operated outside the National Quality Framework, the system that rates and safeguards most Australian childcare services. This left parents without a public safety rating to check and meant some key protections did not apply.
Four Corners found 473 childcare services across Australia operate outside this system.
- 55 times in three days
- Assaults on youngest victim
- 473 across Australia
- Services outside NQF
- Late August to early September 2024
- When discovered
Why it mattersParents rely on safety ratings and regulatory oversight to protect their children. Gaps in the system leave vulnerabilities that can go undetected for days or weeks.
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