An inquest into the drowning of toddler Braxton Slager in 2014 has heard his foster mother did not assist paramedics who tried to save the boy.
Former paramedic Nicole Williams told the court when she arrived at the Stanhope Gardens home, in Sydney's north-west, she felt obstructed by foster mother, Julie Tarlinton.
Ms Williams said Ms Tarlinton did not answer questions about the boy's age, weight — or how long he had been in the water.
Braxton's biological mother, Vanessa Naumovska ran from court sobbing as Ms Williams described the child when she arrived on the scene: "Pulseless. He was not breathing. He was unconscious."
"There had been more time passed from the call arriving and how long he'd been in that state," Ms Williams said.
"It's always a bit difficult when you're not being told much … I asked several times for someone who was there, the foster mother, to come out."
Ms Williams said Ms Tarlinton: "Refused to come to the hospital with us. Refused to come in a follow-up ambulance. Refused to know the outcome."
"That was very unusual. There is no 'normal'. But there is still a spectrum of appropriate."
Other foster child may have opened pool gate
The inquest heard foster father Greg McBride feared another boy in his care may have opened the pool gate.
Rhondele Mayo, from the contractor Life Without Barriers, told the court that at the hospital, after the boy's death, she spoke to the foster parents Mr McBride and Ms Tarlinton.
Ms Mayo said Ms Tarlinton told her the older boy, who cannot be identified, found Braxton in the pool.
She said Ms Tarlinton told her husband: "Go home and put a f***ing chainsaw through that pool. I want it gone before I get back."
"I heard her say that."
The inquest heard the older boy was autistic and intellectually disabled.
'Is that a f***ing kid?'
Elise Hammond said she was hanging out washing on the morning of September 13, 2014 when she also heard her neighbour call out "Help, someone help".
The inquest heard that Ms Hammond heard a woman screaming "Is that a f***ing kid?"
"Then I saw [Ms Tarlinton] come into the pool area and pull the little boy out by his hands."
"I saw her put him on the ground. She knelt down but was in complete shock — went to do CPR but was in shock."
Ms Hammond said the pool was green, and she believed no-one had been in it for between six and seven months.
She said the toddler was wearing a t-shirt and green tracksuit pants and was very pale.
Her husband, Steven Hawksworth ran to help perform CPR after he heard: "A scream like I'd never heard before."
"I think I checked his mouth, he was really blue."
Annual inspections needed: Police
Police documents tendered to the court recommend annual safety inspections at foster care homes.
The statement from Detective Senior Constable Penelope Allan was tendered at the inquest into the drowning Braxton.
It said such inspections should be thorough and not a "tick and flick".
Detective Senior Constable Allan said if there is a pool at foster accommodation, a more detailed check should be required to make sure it meets safety standards.
The inquest continues.
