Sunday's news in under 5 minutes.

Reports toddler left to overheat in car may have spent hours trying to free himself.

Cobb Country Police Department Detective Phil Stoddard has revealed 22-month-old Cooper Harris, left to die of heat exhaustion after several hours in an overheated car, may have tried to free himself.

The authorities have revealed Cooper had scratches and abrasions on the back of his head and neck, where he may have rubbed up against the car seat trying to escape.

His father, Justin Ross Harris, 33, was earlier this week charged with Cooper’s murder, despite his not guilty pleas citing the incident as a result of Fatal Distraction Phenomenon. Harris maintains he forgot to drop Cooper at daycare, and went into ‘autopilot’ mode, before discovering his mistake too late.

It has been alleged Harris has since given family members detailed instructions on how to follow through on two life insurance policies taken out against Cooper. Additionally, the prosecution has claimed Harris viewed articles discussing life without children, and watched videos of animals dying in hot cars not long before Cooper’s death.

Cost of Abbott government’s ‘spin doctors’ to taxpayers revealed.

Senate documents have revealed that the Abbott government has engaged 37 communication specialists to monitor social media channels, provide graphic design support, and offer strategic communications advice.

Overall, this newly created ‘Strategic Communications Branch’ is costing taxpayers nearly $4.3 million a year.

A spokesman for Opposition Leader Bill Shorten told Fairfax, “At a time when the Prime Minister is cutting pensions and increasing taxes and cost of living pressures, nearly 40 extra staff members have been put on to try to spin his messages”.

A spokeswoman for the Prime Minister has responded saying, “There has been no increase in the number of communications staff employed by departments”. She maintains the communications staff have been transferred across from other public service departments.

Scott Morrison set to travel to Sri Lanka, remains silent on the fate of hundreds of Tamil asylum seekers.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison is set to travel to Sri Lanka on Wednesday, despite public outrage over government silence on the fate of hundreds of Tamil asylum seekers continuing today.

The Federal Government has not yet confirmed whether 203 Tamil asylum seekers were returned back to Sri Lankan authorities after being intercepted by Australian personnel.

Human rights and refugee advocates have warned that the arrivals are escaping torture, rape and long-term detention in their home countries. Thus, they have said returning them to such conditions is a human rights abuse and breach of international law.

The Coalition’s Senate Leader, Eric Abetz, has said, “in due course these matters will be revealed”.

Video of policeman repeatedly punching a woman roadside has sparked international outrage.

The California Highway Patrol has today promised a thorough investigation, though Assistant Chief Chris O’ Quinn has stated the officer was only attempting to ‘restrain’ the woman as she was endangering herself and people in traffic.

One of the witnesses, Mr David Diaz said, “He agitated the situation more than helped it”.

The woman involved is currently undergoing a psychiatric evaluation.

Parents of girl who performed sex acts on 24 men for drinks have now spoken out.

Earlier this week, a video of an 18-year-old performing blow jobs on 24 men in exchange for free drinks went viral.

The young woman was on the Spanish Island of Mallorca, and engaging in a game called ‘mamading’- where a sex act is performed in exchange for a prize.

The UK Mirror have today spoken with the girl’s family, who are born-again Christians.

“She has been a victim, a target of evil, of wickedness and she has most definitely been led astray,” a family friend told the paper.

They added that she has now been “fully forgiven” for the “terrible mistake” she made.

Police continue raiding stores selling dodgy phone chargers.

Officers from NSW Fair Trading are continuing to crack down on business owners selling faulty phone chargers and electronics to consumers. Over 260 raids across 21 different suburbs have been conducted so far, resulting in two business owners facing prosecution.

The raids have increased since 28-year-old Sheryl Anne Aldeguer was found dead in her Gosford home with burns from a $4.95 charger across her ears and chest.

NSW Fair Trading Minister Matthew Mason-Cox confirmed the raids will continue in the following weeks, targeting rogue traders selling unapproved electrical goods.

An escaped child rapist is on the run after escaping a correctional facility in Victoria.

Andrew Darling, a convicted sex offender, escaped from the Corella Place facility in Ararat, Victoria, just after 2:30am.

Police have not yet been able to track his whereabouts.

Darling was released from prison in May 2009, after a 9-year-sentence for raping a 13-year-old girl. Police have previously had to search for him, the last time being when he broke his parole one day after being released.

The 42-year-old is caucasian, said to be about 176 centimetres, with a medium build, blue eyes, close-cropped hair, and a fair complexion.

Police say he is known to wear camouflage clothing, and has two pierced ears, with tattoos on his right lower leg, back and arms.

If seen, authorities urge the public not to approach him but to call 000 immediately.

Demand for gender reassignment medical treatment soars.

The Sunday Age has found that the Royal Children’s Hospital gender dysphoria service, the only clinic for transgender young people seeking medical assistance in Australia, is only seeing 150 patients a year.

However, new referrals to the clinic have risen from one per year in 2003 to 60 in 2014.

The demand for treatments is now so high that the clinic is struggling to keep up with demand. Children born with gender dysphoria face up to a five-month wait to begin treatment at the clinic.

Doctors have warned that the lack of quality medical services puts transgender youths at increased risk of self-harm.

Michelle Telfer, clinical leader at the Royal Children’s Hospital Centre for Adolescent Health, has warned that 30 per cent of youths with gender dysphoria will attempt suicide. Additionally, she emphasised they were at greatest risk between the times of pursuing treatment and receiving it.