How a carer’s ‘final act of kindness’ towards a 10-year-old boy who died choking on a sandwich led to him being JAILED – even though he had nothing to do with his death
- Curtis Powell died after struggling to swallow a bite of sandwich in July 2015
- The 10-year-old’s aunt, Jodie Maree Powell, forced him to eat sandwich quickly
- His career, James Colin Burnham, wiped away blood and hugged the dead child
- Burnham pleaded guilty to being an accessory after Curtis’ manslaughter
A carer’s ‘final act of kindness’ towards a 10-year-old boy after he choked to death on a sandwich has led him to being jailed for three years.
James Colin Burnham found his partner trying to resuscitate Curtis Powell – a 10-year-old boy in their care – in July 2015.
The boy’s aunt, Jodie Maree Powell, tried to remove the food from his mouth but Curtis lost consciousness and she was unable to revive him.
The boy died after struggling to swallow a bite of sandwich he was being forced to eat quickly by his aunt.
James Colin Burnham found his partner trying to resuscitate the 10-year-old boy in their care
Curtis Powell died after struggling to swallow a bite of sandwich he was being forced to eat quickly
Curtis was bleeding from the mouth when Burnham saw the commotion.
He screamed out but quickly realised the boy was dead.
In a ‘final act of kindness’, Burnham wiped blood away from the boy’s mouth and gave him a final embrace.
On Powell’s instructions, Burnham then left their home in the southern Brisbane suburb of Mackenzie.
Family members who received unusual messages from Powell later called paramedics.
By the time they arrived rigor mortis had set in.
The official cause of Curtis’ death on July 19, 2015 was bronchopneumonia but more than 200 injuries were found on his body during autopsy.
Many injuries were from years of abuse by Powell.
Curtis had been struck with a carving fork and a knife thrown at his leg, and his head had been banged against a wall.
Some injuries were due to his issues with spatial awareness, which meant he often fell.
It was because of the injuries Powell didn’t get medical help when Curtis stopped breathing.
Burnham wasn’t responsible for any of the harm Curtis suffered.
The boy’s aunt, Jodie Maree Powell, tried to remove the food from his mouth but Curtis lost consciousness and she was unable to revive him
He gave him food, clothes and a bath when Powell was not home because she yelled when he was caring towards him in her presence.
Curtis had been living with the couple – who he referred to as mum and dad – since he was three because his mother had drug issues.
Burnham too was being abused by Powell, who was eight years older than him and the ‘dominating force’ in their ‘destructive’ 15-year relationship.
Yet he wiped away evidence when he realised Curtis was dead and lied to officers investigating the death.
After pleading guilty to being an accessory after Curtis’ manslaughter, Burnham was sentenced in Brisbane Supreme Court on Thursday to three years’ jail, with the term to be suspended after serving seven months.
Powell was jailed in August for nine years and will be eligible for parole in June.