Tara Richardson: Mother faces murder charges after 4-year-old son found dead in pool

QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA: Tara Richardson, a 46-year-old mother, is facing murder charges in connection with the death of her 4-year-old son, Tarrin-Macen O’Sullivan.

Background information revealed that the initial report to the police indicated that Tarrin-Macen O'Sullivan had drowned in a residential pool in Munbura in August 2021.

However, recent evidence contradicts this, suggesting that Tarrin-Macen had already died before entering the pool.

This new information has led the mother to become a suspect in her son's death as she was reportedly the only person at home at the time the child died.

Tarrin-Macin O’Sullivan was found naked in pool

On August 29, 2021, emergency services responded to a call from a residence in Munbura, south of Mackay, where O'Sullivan was discovered naked and lifeless in a backyard pool.

Although the initial report indicated drowning, Detective Superintendent Darrin Shadlow asserted that O’Sullivan was dead before entering the water, per 7 News.

The pool contained a small amount of water, and based on post-mortem and further examinations, investigators believe they can substantiate that the child was already dead before entering the pool.

Shadlow further alleged that the child's death occurred earlier that day, with the mother being the only person at home at the time. Police have ruled out the involvement of weapons in the incident.

Therefore, the mother was charged with murder in a domestic violence setting and interfering with a corpse.

The charges were filed on the morning of Friday, December 8. Richardson appeared in the Mackay Magistrates Court the same day, where the proceedings were adjourned until March 13, 2024, as reported by ABC News. No bail application was made, and she has been remanded in custody.

Darrin Shadlow talks about ‘complexity’ of the investigation

Standing in front of the Queensland Police Service backdrop at the Mackay District Office, Shadlow commended the complexity of the investigation and expressed gratitude towards emergency services, Mackay CPIU investigators, and the Child Trauma Unit in Brisbane.

Addressing the challenges of investigating a child's death, Shadlow acknowledged the difficulty faced by police, investigators, and the families involved.

Detectives believe O'Sullivan "hadn’t been dead for long" before the woman called emergency services, as reported by 7 News. However, investigators quickly identified discrepancies at the scene, confirming their suspicions.

While not disclosing the cause of O’Sullivan’s death, Shadlow stated that "the mother was the only one home with the child at the time." Tarrin-Macen's father, who didn't live with the child, was informed of the arrest on the morning of December 8. Shadlow also acknowledged the father's distress and his hope for closure.

He also emphasized that detectives would utilize "every resource available to them" to uncover the truth regarding the child's death.