Usually in the 24/7 company of child safety workers, the Christmas party was Tayla's chance to socialise with other state wards who lived in residential care homes.

Warning: This story contains details of child sexual abuse.

The event was held by CASPA — a taxpayer-funded organisation looking after at-risk children at the behest of the New South Wales government.

That's where Tayla hit it off with two other teens, Kellie* and Max*.

Drawn together by their bubbly yet rebellious nature, the encounter about four years ago grew into a friendship with grave consequences.

"Kellie … actually, I hate her for this but I still love her as a friend, she had to pay off drug debts and she took us [Max and I] around to an older man's house and left us there," Tayla said.

"We got drugged and I wa

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