KEY POINTS:
Child, Youth and Family is "fully reviewing" its involvement with a Dunedin family whose 22-month-old girl died last week to see if it could have done more to help.
The toddler's 26-year-old mother was charged with her murder last Thursday, three days after emergency services were called to the family's St Kilda house.
Police have given no details about how the girl died.
It has been revealed that CYF, a community organisation and a family friend all had concerns about the family, understood to be the mother and her partner and five children under the age of 10, including the dead girl and her twin sister.
CYF was so concerned that a staff member travelled with the twins when they were taken to a doctor for a check-up, said regional director John Henderson said.
He would not say how long before the child's death the visit to the doctor was arranged.
The friend, who asked not to be identified, said this week that she rang CYF three times last year concerned the family were not coping. She said her first call was about May or June and her third was about October.
She was concerned at the family's inability to cope and wanted the children placed in care. The friend said she was aware CYF visited the family at least once but did not remove the children.
At that time the twins were among 14 members of an extended family, including at least four preschoolers, living in a three-bedroomed house in Caversham.
The parents and their children moved to the St Kilda house about three months ago.
Asked to comment on the friend's claims, Mr Henderson, who is based in Christchurch, said CYF had been involved with the family and was actively working with them at the time of the toddler's death.
He said he could not detail that involvement because the death was before the courts.
However, he confirmed CYF had asked a Dunedin community organisation to help the family after being made aware of concerns.
"All of the people who played a role in this baby's life will wonder, in the face of such a tragedy, whether there was more we could have done."
- OTAGO DAILY TIMES
