Readers following this blog from the beginning will know that right from the get go we have suspected a cover up for good reasons.

This investigation is about finding answers including finding out who attempted to cover up the true facts of what happened on the evening that Merna drowned.

We found answers within the first few days of receiving instructions of what really happened, but did not reveal this to anyone, not even Tanya Petrus, until several weeks later when AFFORD refused Tanya’s written request seeking an explanation of what happened to her daughter.

Recently we released two conflicting reports providing alleged details of what happened. However we elected not to release the reports until we had addressed the following issues;

·         What was the purpose of uploading a fake report onto the AFFORD computer system as an official record of the incident?

·         Who authored the fake report?

·         Who uploaded the fake report onto the AFFORD computer system?

·         Did one of the carers write this fake report or did someone else do it using this carer’s login ID?

·         Was the author the person who uploaded the fake report? Was the author one  person or two different people, or was it a group effort?

·         What was the date that the fake report was entered into the AFFORD computer system? One can record a date on a document but that date might not be the same as the date revealed by the metadata. A report can be backdated and uploaded at a later date.

·         What device was used to upload the fake report onto the AFFORD computer system. Generally a device could have a SIM number (phone number) IP address and a MAC address.

·         Where was the device when the fake report was uploaded onto the AFFORD system? ie was the device at AFFORD head office when the fake report was uploaded or elsewhere?

·         Who was the owner of the device used?

·         Was the owner of the device present when the fake report was uploaded? Devices can be confiscated or handed in and thus someone else could use that device during this period.

            These are some of the issues we were faced with and issues that had to be addressed.

            I did reveal on 23^rd of August 2019 in a blog update that;

“I desperately needed to know AFFORD’s version because by now they would have been in possession of investigation reports. Additionally, some of the AFFORD management attended the scene on the night of the 23^rd May and would have interviewed the carers working that evening. Certainly the carers would have provided an account to their employer, not to mention other records.”

At this time I chose not to reveal the reason why I desperately needed to know the AFFORD management’s official version of what happened because I wanted to establish who was behind the fake report, something that I did not know at that time and I wanted to know if it was them, the management.

The few days following the incident, AFFORD’s senior management met several times to discuss the matter. Casey Hailes was at these meetings. A few days later, Casey Hailes then provided an inaccurate and carefully worded account in a brief statement to the media shifting blame or any wrong doings from AFFORD and in fact suggested they (AFFORD) had not been advised of Merna’s seizures.

I also indicated that those engaging in a cover up could face criminal prosecution and this still is the case because very soon they will have their time under oath in the witness box where they can explain their conduct of the matter, including the reasons for making a false report.

Readers of the earlier postings in this blog will also note I reported that on Wednesday, 7 August 2019 both Tanya and I met with the CEO of AFFORD, Mr Steven Herald, the HR officer, Ms Stephanie Forsyth, and accompanying them was a lawyer, Lucinda Lyons of Clyde and Co.

We were at a loss to understand the need to bring a high profile insurance lawyer  to the meeting, one who makes money by fighting to deny insurance claims, when the agenda was to offer an explanation, at AFFORD’s invitation, to explain how Tanya’s daughter drowned whilst in full-time care at AFFORD.

In hindsight it was a blessing and I am glad that the lawyer was present. AFFORD’s own lawyer witnessed the false account that was put forward at this meeting by the CEO, Steven Herald….”it happened in a split second……and they opened the door with a knife, as you do..” The AFFORD lawyer has pinned the CEO, Steven Herald to the fake report. Lucinda Lyons was there when he delivered the fake account of what happened and from an investigator’s position,  it was very suspicious indeed that the AFFORD lawyer did not want to discuss the matter when I wrote to her.

Readers should recall that I wrote to lawyer Lucinda Lyons the day following that meeting on Thursday, 8 August 2019 informing her that the version of events that Steven Herald gave at our meeting was “far removed” from the findings of our investigations.  Did Lucinda Lyons as lawyer for AFFORD raise this issue with Steven Herald? Did she write to him and say that the investigators are concerned with your version of events not being the truth? Or was she there to assist in the cover up? Like me, the readers can make their own conclusions here.

Ross Fowler, as chairman and director of AFFORD, has special responsibilities and accountability by law. We do know that he, Ross Fowler, communicates with Steven Herald in relation to fund raising, special events and the handing out of awards.  I am hopeful that whilst these two are communicating about awards and the like, that Steven Herald also communicated to Ross Fowler  about  the deficiency AFFORD has in meeting the safety standards  required by law for the many AFFORD premises both in and out of the Penrith jurisdiction. I am also hopeful that Ross Fowler, as chairman and director took the responsibility to ensure that every AFFORD home met the Australian safety standards. He certainly has many building inspectors at his disposal. It was reported to us that many AFFORD homes, after the Merna incident, had the doorknobs on their bathrooms changed so they met the Australian standards. Why this did not happen before the premises were occupied by clients with disabilities is a clear breach and failure on the part of management. Safety should be paramount. Why safety standards were not met in the Penrith local area when the Penrith mayor is chairman and director of AFFORD needs to be addressed, especially by him.

We are endeavouring to find out if Steven Herald conveyed to Ross Fowler the fake incident report as the true account of what happened and we will keep the readers posted on the outcome of this.

It is fact that Steven Herald made the choice  to deliver to Tanya (and myself) the fake report of what happened on that evening when Merna drowned in an AFFORD bathtub over and above the choice to deliver the truthful version.

This brings us back to the original investigations that were earlier on focused on finding out the source of the fake report. How could it be that there is a fake report in existence and of all people, the CEO, Steven Herald is not only in possession of it, he is offering it as the truthful account of what happened?

Thus, we can safely assume the AFFORD CEO, Steven Herald knows the author of this fake report. We can also safely assume that he knows the author of the correct and truthful account too. He can safely assume that we know why he chose to provide a fake account and not the real version of events.