Authorities to investigate death by suicide of 10-year-old boy who was under the WA government's care

Authorities to investigate death by suicide of 10-year-old boy who was under the WA government's care

By abc.net.au
Thursday 18/04/2024
A 10-year-old boy has died by suicide while in the care of the WA government.(ABC News)

A 10-year-old Indigenous boy has died by suicide while he was under the care of the Western Australian government.

The boy, who cannot be named, was under the care of the Department of Communities and was being looked after by relatives when he died on Saturday night.

Veteran suicide prevention advocate Gerry Georgatos has been offering support to the boy's family in the wake of the tragedy.

Mr Georgatos said the parents had not seen their son in eight months, and were working towards being reunited with their child.

"The family is beyond distressed, it's indescribable," he said.

"The pain is harrowing, they can't believe they've lost [one of their children] at 10 years of age, they just can't believe it.

"The father described to me that he just collapsed in front of the police, the mother was distraught."

The boy and a number of his siblings were placed into WA government care about two years ago.

In a statement, the Department of Communities said it did not comment on individual cases.

"In keeping with its legal and ethical obligations, Communities does not comment on individual cases, particularly where there is potential or evident risk of identifying one or more children in care," the statement read.

A death under state care will automatically trigger a coronial inquest.

Story by :  Herlyn Kaur

Original storyhttps://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-17/wa-authorities-to-investigate-death-by-suicide-of-child-in-care/103737266

FEATURE NEWS
Fiji marked 5.7% increase in terms of welcoming visitors last year – Gavoka
Fiji marked a 5.7 percent increase last year from the previous year in terms of welcoming visitors into the country which is a testament to the resili...
5 hours ago
LATEST NEWS
Singh uses jewellery-making skills learnt on YouTube to assist mother in running jewellery business
Watching craft videos on YouTube has helped 21-year-old Kalara Singh broaden her knowledge of making macrame jewellery and helping her mother run ...
2 hours ago

Nasau twins hope to qualify for TSLS as they look forward to pursuing teaching careers
Twin brothers Nemia and Ilaisa Nasau from Naraiyawa Village in Namosi are hoping they would qualify for the Tertiary Scholarship Loan Scheme as they ...
3 hours ago

InsideOut brings in the chill vibes with new single called 'Wele'
Fiji’s renowned band InsideOut is not slowing down any soon in terms of releasing new songs as they have just released a new single called ...
3 hours ago

Shobna Chanel to showcase Fiji’s culture on a global stage in India next week
Fiji’s renowned dance group Shobna Chanel is hoping to showcase Fiji’s culture on the global stage as they will be representing Fiji at the ...
8 hours ago

Singapore surgeons to conduct free heart surgeries for children in Fiji this month
A group of Singapore surgeons will be conducting free heart surgeries in Fiji this month, helping children that are struggling with congenital heart ...
8 hours ago



fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan
Latest Videos

Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations

CFL radio frequencies
yb
IN DEPTH
Health Minister Dr Lalabalavu on fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan
Health Minister, Doctor Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay ...
4 days ago

PM Rabuka on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan
Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan. The in-depth interview will focus on many issues facing the ...
8 days ago

Perth 7s 2025
The Fiji Airways Men’s National 7s side finished in 5th place at the HSBC Perth 7s after defeating France 17-5 in the 5th place ...
9 days ago

TOP