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Babysitter buried Daniel underneath house: Inquest

Babysitter buried Daniel underneath house: Inquest

An inquest has heard murdered Myrtleford toddler, Daniel Thomas, was buried by his babysitter Mandy Martyn, but it was his mother who killed him.

Two-year-old Daniel Thomas was in the care of his babysitter, Mandy Martyn, when he was reported missing in October 2003.

His remains were discovered five years later under a house previously rented by his mother, Donna Thomas.

Ms Martyn allegedly told her then drug counsellor, Constable Jane Richards, she had buried Daniel's body under a house, but denied murdering him.

Constable Richards told the inquest into Daniel's death that Martyn confessed that the boy's mother strangled her son after she had returned from a trip to Shepparton.

"Donna grabbed Daniel around the neck and wouldn't let go,' she said.

"Daniel was limp. Mandy said she tried to do CPR but he was dead."

Martyn then bathed Daniel's body and put him in bed, the court heard.

The next day Martyn allegedly placed Daniel underneath her house before putting the body in a pusher and burying him underneath Ms Thomas's former Lawrence Street house.

Constable Richards passed on the information to police in a statement made last year.

"I believed it was significant information and it was wrong not to disclose it," she said.