The mother of Dylan Voller believes she “failed” her son when she reported him to police, beginning a childhood of imprisonment which eventually led to him being strapped to a chair with a spitting hood over his head.
Dylan, who is at the centre of the Don Dale Juvenile Detention Centre scandal, had been difficult from an early age, Joanne Voller told 7.30.
Alice Springs primary schools were unable to deal with him and he attended at least five different schools between the ages of six and nine.
Joanne Voller said she contacted the NT Department of Children and Families for help when Dylan was 11.
“That was the time when he broke my window and I was told if I reported him for breaking my window he’d get the help that he needed,” she said.
“At the time he needed counselling to help with his anger issues, but it’s not what he received in jail.
“If I had of done something like they did to my son and that was in the name of caring for my child I’d be in jail right now, so I don’t know what they expected me to do to care for my child.
“I was seeking help, I was asking for help. I in no way thought he would be hooded and chained to a chair or thrown in isolation for 200 days at a time.
“I don’t see that as counselling or helping him.
“I really feel like I failed him by ringing the police that day when he broke my window, to be honest.”
‘They don’t see the underlying problems’
Dylan’s family said he had emotional problems which should have been dealt with.
“Something happened in Dylan’s life that made him really angry that he didn’t talk about until he was older,” Joanne Voller said.
According to his sister, Kirra Voller, Dylan grew up not trusting people.
“I think that’s where his naughtiness comes in because it’s a lack of trust for the people that he’s supposed to trust, so they just think he’s rebelling and being a naughty person because of whatever reasons — he’s got ADHD or he’s troubled — they don’t see the underlying problems that are really affecting him,” she said.
Antoinette Carroll, a youth justice advocate and Dylan’s case worker, agreed Dylan had not received the care he needed.
“As soon as he entered into early childhood his needs had to be identified,” she said.
“His mother was very proactive in trying to get therapeutic supports in place, which is why she contacted the department.”
‘Pretty much his whole childhood he’s spent in jail’
Dylan is now in an adult prison in Darwin serving time for a serious assault.