LITTLE Charlotte Keen will finally have her day in court.
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More than 10 years after the 11-month-old Wodonga baby was found dead, police have charged her mother’s ex-partner with her murder.
Brett Noel Penrose, 42, now of Doreen, handed himself into police yesterday morning and faced a Supreme Court hearing soon after.
Penrose, who had been wanted on a warrant, was charged with murdering Charlotte in December 2004, three days before her first birthday.
No further details of the arrest are known at this stage, though a Victoria Police spokesperson confirmed Penrose was remanded in custody until a directions hearing on March 16.
Charlotte’s mother, Renee Jones, “burst into tears” upon receiving the call from detectives yesterday, while Charlotte’s grandparents, Bob and Lesley Keen, described their relief that “another part of the journey is over”.
“Charlotte will finally get a say,” Mrs Keen said.
“I didn’t think this day would come ... it’s been a hard battle, but it’s good that someone has finally been charged.”
Charlotte’s inquest was held in September 2013, with coroner Jacinta Heffey suppressing her findings.
The hearing heard Charlotte died in the Royal Children’s Hospital on December 17, 2004, five days after Miss Jones found her in her cot with fresh bruises and a brain injury consistent with shaken baby syndrome.
During the inquest, Miss Jones laid the blame with her then-boyfriend, Penrose, with whom she said she had left Charlotte while she was out with friends.
Doctors told the hearing Charlotte’s extensive bruising and a broken arm indicated she had endured trauma on more than one occasion.
Miss Jones told The Border Mail yesterday that the inquest itself had felt like a breakthrough; she was at a loss for words when police rang to tell her of Penrose’s arrest.
“I just never ever thought I would get that phone call, it’s just been so so long,” she said.
“Nothing is going to change the fact that she’s not here, and I suppose it’s a cliche to say you want to see justice done ... but a lot of people have put a lot of effort in to make sure Charlotte gets her peace.”
Mrs Keen said she and her husband were relieved that “this little darling baby has finally got the recognition that someone hurt her”.
Both she and Miss Jones praised the detectives involved for their efforts.
“They kept saying it’s not over yet, but in the back of my mind I just didn’t think this would come,” Mrs Keen said.