Willow Dunn’s brother has paid tribute to the four-year-old Brisbane girl whose father is charged with her murder.
“Rest in peace Willow,” the brother said in a Facebook post on Wednesday. “It’s so heartbreaking things have turned out this way, but you will forever be in our hearts. Fly high with mum.”
Their mother Naomi Dunn died giving birth to Willow in November 2015, News.com.au reported.
It is understood that the brother did not live with Willow in her Cannon Hill home.
An online vigil was held for Willow, who was discovered dead by police in the home on Monday morning. Police will allege the girl died on or around May 23, two days before her body was found.
Willow’s father Mark James Dunn was charged with her murder on Monday night. The 43-year-old man has been detained in custody and will face court on July 20.
Queensland’s minister for child protection Di Farmer described Willow’s death as “horrific”.
“I think everyone felt sick and I can tell you in my community people are overwhelmed,” she said.
According to 7News, Willow’s case was active in the child protection system and she was visited by officers within a month of her estimated death.
Farmer said she was legally unable to comment on whether the case was known to the Department of Child Safety. “In any instance where a child dies, and they are known to Child Safety, then we immediately instigate an internal investigation,” she said.
Shadow police minister Dan Purdie raised concerns if more could have been done to save the girl.
“In all tragic deaths like this, big questions need to be asked about what more could have been done to prevent the tragic death of a vulnerable young child,” he told 7News.
This article originally appeared on Over60.