Edwina Amy Ling, aged 48, has been sentenced to four years in prison, with a minimum of one year to be served without the possibility of parole. She entered a guilty plea to a total of 80 charges of common assault and two charges of assault occasioning bodily harm.
The incidents in question involved three toddlers at the Injinoo Child Care Centre from late August to early September 2024. Ling’s actions were described in Cairns District Court as “monstrous, cruel and sadistic,” representing a severe breach of trust, according to District Court Judge Dean Morzone KC.
During the court proceedings, disturbing CCTV footage was presented, revealing Ling engaging in various abusive behaviors towards a 13-month-old boy. The footage depicted her grabbing the child by the neck, smothering him with a mattress and pillow, hitting him, and even kicking him across the floor. Additional clips showed her shaking the child, throwing him onto a beanbag, and pushing him forcefully while he was asleep.
Initially, Ling faced a charge of torture related to the child but this was later removed. The parents of the 13-month-old victim expressed their devastation in a statement read in court, indicating that their trust in the childcare system had been shattered. They did not attend the sentencing but emphasized the deep sense of betrayal they felt from Ling, the childcare center, and the education department.
In their statement, the parents conveyed their anguish, stating, “We trusted that our son would be safe and cared for, and he wasn’t. We felt there was a lack of support given and failings within the childcare centre itself.” They lamented Ling’s repeated physical abuse over several days, underscoring the vulnerability of their son and the breach of trust that occurred.
The Injinoo Child Care Centre was not subjected to the National Quality Framework—Australia’s regulatory system for childcare—because it received direct federal funding. This exemption meant the center was not assessed under national quality standards and instead operated under Queensland’s Education and Care Services Act.
This case is part of a broader crisis within Australia’s childcare sector, which has faced scrutiny over systemic issues of abuse, neglect, and regulatory failures. These revelations have led to public outrage and prompted both state and federal governments to consider new legislation, stricter enforcement, and enhanced child protection measures. However, experts and affected families are calling for more profound reforms to address these persistent issues.
In response to the incidents, Queensland’s Early Childhood Regulatory Authority canceled the operating approval of the Injinoo Child Care Centre nearly a year after the assaults. An internal investigation was launched, but the department has refrained from releasing the findings to the public despite requests from the affected families. The decision to revoke the center’s approval is currently under review at the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT).
Ling was originally employed at the Injinoo Child Care Centre as a cook and cleaner before being promoted to an educator in the baby room within a few months. At the time of her sentencing, she was pursuing a Certificate III in Child Care.
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