The community in the Riverina region of New South Wales is reeling with sorrow and unanswered questions following the discovery of a deceased newborn at a riverside camping area.
Emergency services were dispatched to Cadell Place in Wagga Wagga on Saturday afternoon, where authorities encountered a 37-year-old woman along with two infants. Tragically, one of the babies was deceased.
The woman and the surviving infant received immediate medical care at the location before being transported to Wagga Wagga Base Hospital for further treatment.
According to police, the circumstances surrounding the incident are not considered suspicious. The area, located along the Murrumbidgee River, is reportedly a site occupied by individuals experiencing homelessness.
Wagga Wagga City Councillor Richard Foley expressed that this tragedy highlights the severe consequences of the region’s ongoing housing crisis, which has been neglected for too long.
“It’s unacceptable that in 2026, a pregnant woman had to resort to sleeping in a tent by the riverbank. We’ve been aware for years that homelessness in Wagga Wagga is increasing at an alarming rate,” he shared with nine.com.au.
He’s calling for an urgent review of what services had contact with the family and why safe accommodation was not secured, alongside immediate coordination between council, state and federal authorities.
At a broader level, Foley said more transitional housing and properly funded support services were needed on the ground, adding that councils alone could not address the magnitude of the issue.
NSW Housing and Homelessness Minister Rose Jackson described the death as “beyond comprehension” and confirmed a full investigation into the family’s circumstances had been requested.
“This is truly heartbreaking news,” she said.
“The death of any member of our homelessness community is tragic, but the death of a newborn baby is beyond comprehension.”
Jackson said Homes NSW had been in contact with the family over some years and that discussions were underway with local representatives about what further action could be taken.
She pointed to the state’s housing-first policy, including funding for new homes and expanded homelessness services, while acknowledging that incidents like this underscore the scale of the challenge.
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