Cops Accused of ‘Victim-Blaming’ Over Baby and Dad Deaths
A coroner criticizes police for their handling of a tragic murder-suicide case involving a baby and her father in South Australia
Adelaide, South Australia, Kobi Shepherdson, Henry Shepherdson, Domestic Violence
Adelaide: A coroner is really laying into the police over a heartbreaking case involving a baby and her dad. The inquest is looking into the deaths of nine-month-old Kobi and her father, Henry, back in April 2021.
It turns out that just hours before their deaths, a court allowed Henry to see Kobi while her mom was out. But the coroner, Ian White, pointed out that the mom was under a lot of pressure from Henry, who was calling her from prison.
He had called her 149 times, which is just wild, and was trying to manipulate her into dropping charges against him. During the inquest, White had a pretty heated exchange with a lawyer representing the police. He felt their comments about Kobi’s mom were totally off-base and could be seen as blaming her for what happened.
White was really upset about a part of the police submission that suggested Kobi’s mom didn’t have to answer Henry’s calls. He argued that she was in a tough spot and didn’t really have a choice. It’s clear that the pressure she was under was immense.
The lawyer for the police disagreed, but White stood his ground, saying it was wrong to imply she had no choice. He described Henry as a dangerous man, and it’s hard to argue with that given his history.
Another lawyer mentioned that Kobi’s mom was completely blindsided when she first heard from Henry after he’d been kept away from her for weeks. She was scared and didn’t know what to do. It’s just heartbreaking to think about what she went through.
Henry was a big guy, and the lawyer pointed out that Kobi’s mom was alone with her child, which added to the fear. The inquest is also looking into how the police handled the domestic abuse risk assessments, which were apparently done poorly.
While the police did arrest Henry and offered support to Kobi’s mom, there were still major issues with how the system worked. The lawyer isn’t blaming any one person but is calling for some serious changes in how these cases are handled.
We’re all waiting to hear what the coroner will conclude in the end. It’s a tough situation, and it’s clear that more needs to be done to protect victims of domestic violence.
If you or someone you know is struggling, there are resources available like 1800 RESPECT and Lifeline.