Magistrate grants girl bail amid concern she would join dozens of children held in adult watch houses for weeks

As pressure mounts on the Palaszczuk government to address the conditions faced by youth detainees, Queensland police revealed that 25 children have been held in watch houses for more than three weeks since the start of the year.

A report published by the Queensland Family and Child Commission last November found Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children had been imprisoned in Queensland watch houses for up to 35 days.

Another teenage boy said he was forced to sleep on a block, with no cushions or proper bedding.

In the Mount Isa case, the 15-year-old girl, given the pseudonym Isla Johnson in court documents, was charged with several offences after coming into the care of the child safety department last year.

A Queensland police service (QPS) spokesperson said there were currently 88 young people in police custody in Queensland.