A national database for child protection cases has been recommended after an inquest into the death of baby Ebony.

South Australia’s Deputy Coroner Anthony Schapel said baby Ebony’s death could have been prevented if Families SA and South Australia Police had better handled the case.

Ebony was left lifeless in her cot for at least a week at her young parent’s Brooklyn Park unit in Adelaide’s west before they alerted Families SA.

In sharing his findings, Mr Schapel said that Families SA should have taken a keener interest in the girl’s care and ongoing protection.  Families SA was originally alerted to the baby girl after her leg was broken, prior to her death.  However a thorough police investigation was not conducted.

Mr Schapel said Families SA had investigated the broken leg bone with a “lack of enthusiasm”.

The inquest heard evidence that the teenage parents had moved from New South Wales when the mother was pregnant and the mother was under the guardianship of the NSW Government.

Mr Schapel said his recommendation for a national child protection database would ensure immediate access to interstate records.

He also added within his recommendations that the process of sending out an alert when contact is lost with a child’s parents was a necessary and important part of ensuring the safety of a child.