Victorian coroner to investigate deaths of children who were repeatedly reported as at-risk

The unrelated children, aged between six months and 13 years old, died between 2015 and 2017, documents before the court show. The children cannot be identified for legal reasons.

The state coroner, Judge John Cain, will investigate how child protection handled reports made about the children, which in some cases occurred on as many as six occasions, or before the child was even born.

This included the extent of their involvement with the children before they died, the extent of their involvement with the siblings of some children, and, in some cases, details about those who had faced criminal charges in relation to the deaths.

The submissions made by Erin Gardner and Estelle Frawley, counsel for the department secretary Sandy Pitcher, contend that Cain should suppress the names of all children subject to the inquest. This was because it balanced the ability to report fairly on the inquest proceedings with obligations not to breach acts that relate to identifying children who were subject to court proceedings.

The court was unable to provide further details about the scope of the inquest.