Mother of two Aboriginal boys, aged 3 and 5, who drowned in a river in Townsville is arrested
- Barak Austral, 5, and Jhulio Sariago, 3, went missing in Townsville in February
- Their mother Leanne Eatts has been arrested and is expected to be charged
- WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that the following story contains images of people who have died
The mother of two Aboriginal brothers who drowned in a river has been arrested in relation to their deaths.
Leanne Eatts was taken into police custody on Friday and is expected to be charged later in the day.
Townsville Child Protection and Investigation Unit officer-in-charge Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Miles said the charges would be related to care and responsibility a parent should have for children.
The boys’ mother Leeann Eatts (left) has been arrested in relation to the boys death
Tragic: Barak Austral (left), five, and Jhulio Sariago (right), three, were found dead in the Ross River near Cranbrook in Townsville in February
During a press conference on Friday he said police will allege the boys were regularly left unsupervised.
Ms Eatts is also expected to face drug charges.
Barak Austral, 5, and Jhulio Sariago, 3, went missing from their Brett St home on February 25 – sparking one of the biggest search operations in Townsville.
The boys were found in a deep section of the fast-flowing Ross River in Townsville just before 7am on February 26.
Up to 100 policemen, rescuers and residents joined a frantic search for the boys.
Ms Eatts made a series of desperate posts to social media at the time asking for help to find her boys.
‘Mum is missing you boys so much,’ she posted to Facebook.
‘My two babies have been missing since 5.45. I got eight police cars at my house and everyone on foot looking for them please keep a close eye out for them on the streets… they just walked off. Please help Townsville.
Two young Aboriginal brothers Barak (left) and Jhulio (right) were found dead in a river after they went missing from their home
The boys were seen alive for the last time in CCTV footage, with Barak wearing his school uniform (in red shirt on the right)
‘I am so tired and empty.’
When the bodies were found, the boys’ aunt Ros Eatts said: ‘Everyone’s in shock and total devastation. I’m totally gutted. Leeann, the mum, is inconsolable.’
Ms Eatts described her sons as ‘inseparable’.
She said: ‘They were nine days apart, Barak born on 17 May 2013 and Jhulio born 8 May 2015, and they died on the same day – Jhulio was born the day after my birthday,’ she said.
‘Jhulio was so smart – he knew everything. He was a good kid, so loveable, lovely little face and beautiful nature… I’m going to miss them.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that the following story contains images of people who have died
An amber alert was issued by police on Monday after the boys went missing from their home in the suburb of Cranbrook about 5.30pm
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