Australian Government Issues Formal Apology After Foster Children Discovered Living with Convicted Triple Killer

Australian officials admit to "shocking" failure after two foster children were found living with Regina Arthurell, a convicted killer with three homicide convictions.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 11, 2026, 12:00 PM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from PEOPLE

A Critical Oversight in Child Protection

An Australian government department has issued a public apology following the revelation that two foster children were living in a home shared by a convicted triple killer. The children, a 12-year-old and a 14-year-old, remained in the residence with 79-year-old Regina Arthurell until her removal on Monday, March 9. The situation came to light after the radio program 2GB Sydney uncovered the living arrangement, prompting an immediate response from high-level officials who described the lapse in oversight as "shocking."

The Criminal History of Regina Arthurell

Regina Arthurell, previously known as Reginald, has a decades-long history of violent crime. Arthurell served a 24-year sentence for the 1995 murder of her former partner, Venet Raylee Mulhall, who was bludgeoned to death. This conviction followed two prior manslaughter convictions in 1974 and 1981. Since her release from prison in November 2020, Arthurell had been living under an extended supervision order. Despite this high-risk profile, she was permitted to reside in a home where vulnerable foster children were placed, a scenario that Minister for Families and Communities Kate Washington called "entirely unacceptable."

Delays in Administrative Action

The investigation into the timeline reveals that the department was alerted to the living situation as early as December 2025. According to reports, a family member of a woman living with Arthurell attempted to notify the New South Wales (NSW) Police and Corrective Services about the children’s potential danger throughout the previous year. Minister Washington admitted that "very poor decisions" were made in late December when the department first became aware of the conflict, leading to a three-month delay in the children’s protection.