How did this happen? Baby washed up on the Gold Coast was 'not a priority' to care workers just before she died

The nine-month-old baby who was allegedly thrown into the sea by her father was NOT treated as a priority case by child services workers - despite the fact they visited her hours before her death.

When police visited the family on the day she died, they flagged the case as urgent after finding the baby girl screaming and the parents allegedly intoxicated.

The officers who visited the pair raised concerns about the parents 'ability to provide care and shelter for their children', according to court documents.  

But DOCS did not answer repeated police calls for back up and listed the little girl as 'concerned inquiry of the child', the Gold Coast Bulletin reports.

The little girl's body was found washed up on the beach at Surfers Paradise. She had allegedly been thrown into the ocean at Tweed Heads and had floated along the coast to the Gold Coast where a passer-by discovered her dead body.

A visit by DOCS workers would have resulted in a medical check of the baby and her parents and may have saved her life.

Police were called at around 9.50am on Friday, November 16, after reports of a baby crying and adults shouting.

Officers then visited the homeless family at 6pm and again at 3am, when they allegedly found the parents intoxicated.

After DOCS failed to respond to their calls for backup, officers were forced to drive the family over the border to NSW to stay with relatives. 

Tragically it was revealed, earlier this week, that an autopsy on the nine-month-old's body found she was conscious when she died, on November 17.

The baby's father, 47, has been charged with her murder and has been remanded in custody until February 25.

The baby's mum, 23, was arrested but has now been released and is currently the care of a mental health facility.