Pregnant school worker faces giving birth behind bars after 'too disturbing' child abuse charges - allegedly including images of sickening sex assault of a baby

By CANDACE SUTTON, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 07:27, 15 July 2026 | Updated: 07:27, 15 July 2026 A pregnant school worker is set to have her baby behind bars after her arrest on child abuse charges which were too disturbing to even be read out in open court. Lucy Ray McKenzie, 35, allegedly tried to stop police confiscating her phone when they swooped on her home in Gilgandra, in the NSW central-west, on Tuesday. It is alleged detectives later found images on her phone of the sexual assault of a baby aged under 12 months.  Judge Fiona McCarron refused to put further allegations on the record at McKenzie’s bail court hearing on Wednesday because of their disturbing nature.  She refused bail for McKenzie - who works as an admin officer at Gilgandra Public School - because her access to children would be an 'unacceptable risk to the community'. Seven months pregnant McKenzie lives with her husband, local council plant operator Brent McKenzie, and his nine-year-old daughter, the accused's stepdaughter. She appeared unfazed by allegations and remained stony-faced as the charges were read out at her bail hearing.  The court heard that she twice tried to hinder police during the arrest when they moved to confiscate her mobile phone. Mum-to-be Lucy McKenzie (above with her husband Brent and their nine-year-old daughter) is set to have her baby behind bars after her arrest on child abuse charges which were too disturbing to even be read out in open court Lucy Ray McKenzie, 35, allegedly tried to stop police confiscating her phone when they swooped on her home in Gilgandra in the NSW central-west on Tuesday  Lucy McKenzie after saying yes to Gilgandra council plant operator Brent McKenzie's proposal  Heavily-pregnant McKenzie 'physically resisted police retaining possession of the device, and tried to take repossession of the device' when they had secured it, the court heard. Judge McCarron said that although McKenzie is 'due to give birth in two months, I have considerable concerns about McKenzie’s access to her biological child given [the allegation] I read out'. Commonwealth prosecutors opposed bail on several counts despite McKenzie's lawyer insisting she would have no access to the internet. McKenzie would have only a 'dummy' phone, and access to her step-daughter would be under her husband's supervision, the court was told.  McKenzie was swooped on by Sex Crimes Squad detectives at 7.15am on Tuesday.  The NSW State Crime Command specialist squad raided McKenzie's home and arrested her after a tip-off about the alleged child abuse material. Investigators linked the alleged child abuse material last Saturday to an account holder based in the Gilgandra area, a wheat-, sheep- and beef-producing region, 450km north-west of Sydney. McKenzie allegedly used the Kik app to share child abuse material.  Lucy Scotti married Gilgandra machine operator Brent McKenzie in 2023, and they live in Gilgandra, where Lucy was arrested early on Tuesday by Sex Crimes Squad detectives.  McKenzie was escorted from her home by two female detectives after a sex crimes task force allegedly detected child abuse material on a phone app linked to her  Officers from Strike Force Trawler, a Child Exploitation Internet Unit investigation into sexual abuse and child exploitation, handcuffed McKenzie and took her into custody.  She was taken to Dubbo Police Station and charged with four counts of using a carriage service to make available child abuse material and one of hindering or resisting police in the execution of duty.  When told that she would remain in custody for eight weeks - which will bring her up to the time when she is due to give birth - McKenzie wiped her face briefly. McKenzie has both blood relatives and extensive family by marriage in Gilgandra. The court heard her mother was flying home to Gilgandra from Sydney and had offered to live with her daughter on bail, and provide a $10,000 surety.  She married her husband in 2023 under her maiden name Lucy Scotti. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.