Teen charged with murdering mum separated from detainees after alleged harassment
A teenager accused of fatally stabbing his mother in inner Melbourne is being held in protective custody after allegedly being harassed by other juvenile detainees over the alleged murder.
The 15-year-old and his 14-year-old friend, neither of whom can be identified due to their age, fronted a children’s court on Tuesday, when a magistrate was told that detainees had been yelling at the 15-year-old “Did you stab your mother? Did you stab your mother?” since his arrest late last week.
Police at the scene where a woman was killed on April 5.Credit: Joe Armao
During an earlier court appearance, a lawyer for the 14-year-old asked for a nurse to see her client about injuries he suffered before his arrest, which she said included cuts to the boy’s hands, and cuts and blisters to his feet.
Lawyers for the boys were unsuccessful in attempting to have the court case against the pair suppressed from the public. A lawyer for media outlets, including The Age, argued on Tuesday that there were no risks to the proper administration of justice if details of the proceedings were published.
The teens were each charged with murder on Friday after the fatal stabbing of a 41-year-old woman – the 15-year-old boy’s mother – inside her home about 11pm on Wednesday.
Police allege the pair fled in the victim’s white Toyota RAV4, driving it through the St Kilda and Elwood areas before it was found dumped on Havelock Street in St Kilda the next morning.
They were arrested in Learmonth in central Victoria – more than 130 kilometres from the crime scene – hours after a regional police officer identified them from an internal police alert that said the wanted teens may be attempting to make their way to Ararat in the state’s west.
Court documents released to the press show the boys have each been charged with a single count of murder and theft of the victim’s car.
The pair faced court remotely from Melbourne West Police Station on Friday, dressed in white forensic suits, before facing court from a different remote facility on Tuesday.
The 15-year-old’s lawyer said his client would be vulnerable in custody due to his age. He said the teen was currently not on medication and did not have any drug or alcohol issues.
The magistrate was also told pathology reports still needed to be completed.
Police have until the end of June to compile their brief of evidence against the accused teens.
The boys were remanded in custody to reappear at a later date.
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