A PARLIAMENTARY committee has questioned why a Bunbury teenager who had previous convictions for violent offences was allowed access without supervision to his infant son.
The 15-year-old boy attacked and killed his premature four-week old son during visitation at Bunbury Regional Hospital in February last year.
The assault occurred when the mother left the room to heat up some food during a visit, a day or so before the infant was due to move into her family's home.
In February this year, WA child protection minister Helen Morton said the teen had previously assaulted his partner after being abandoned by his mother at age 12.
There were no restrictions on his access to the child.
In March this year he pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 10 years in detention.
At the hearing today, Department for Child Protection and Family Support director-general Emma White was asked why there had not been concerns about the boy before the attack, especially considering his substance abuse and violent criminal convictions.
She said there was no evidence that the teenager ever harmed a child.
