Charmaine McLeod inquest: Mum detailed fear of kids ‘dying in car crash’ years before horrific death

An inquest into the death of a mum and her four kids in a fiery crash has been told of her disturbing dream about the children dying that way.

A mum killed in a fiery crash alongside her four children detailed a disturbing fear her kids would die in a crash during meetings with doctors and social workers, an inquest has been told.

Social worker Julie Jorgensen gave evidence at the inquest into the death of Charmaine McLeod on Friday, revealing the extent of the Hervey Bay mum’s anxious dreams during meetings with her in the years before the crash.

Charmaine McLeod with her four children, Aaleyn, Matilda, Wyatt and Zaidok. All five died in a horrific crash in June 2019. Picture: Supplied

One included a fear of her children “dying in a car crash” – a dream detailed some two years before the incident.

Ms Jorgensen also revealed that she thought Ms McLeod would “doctor shop”, at times going to Brisbane in order to get what she needed.

“She was taking either too much (medication), not taking enough, or not having enough money to buy medication,” Ms Jorgensen said.

Ms McLeod and her four children – Aaleyn, 6, Matilda, 5, Wyatt, 4, and Zaidok, 2 – died in a fiery head-on crash in Queensland’s South Burnett region in May 2019.

The court was told Ms McLeod (right) would at times present to the office of social worker Julie Jorgensen in tears and showing signs of ‘drug abuse’. Picture: Supplied / Facebook

The inquest is examining the leadup to the horrific deaths, including whether the crash was a murder suicide.

The multitude of police and medical responses to Ms McLeod’s complaints of rape and sexual abuse and her mental health issues, as well as the responses from agencies who dealt with her children, have already gone under the microscope over the past week.

The court was told Ms McLeod had detailed fears her children (pictured) would die in a car crash. The notes were taken by a social worker some two years before the horrific incident. Picture: Supplied

On Friday, the court was told of Ms McLeod’s dealings with Bayside Transformations, a Hervey Bay-based drug rehabilitation centre.

Handwritten notes detailed her fears of things like driving in Brisbane, her Centrelink payments being cut off and house fires.

Ms Jorgensen explained the fear of the latter stemmed from Ms McLeod’s experiences as a child.

Disturbingly, one fear included “the kids dying in a car crash”.

“These were dreams she would be talking about,” Ms Jorgensen said.

“Not being heard, not being taken seriously, not being respected … they’re all the things she experienced as a child and she felt still carried on as an adult, which is quite common for someone with anxiety and depression.”

James McLeod, Ms McLeod’s ex-husband and the father of her four children. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

The inquest was told Ms McLeod also feared her partner James “going out” to activities because she didn’t like being left alone.

Ms Jorgensen recalled the Hervey Bay mum would frequently appear at her office “crying and agitated” and wait for her, sitting in the gutter.

“She was showing signs of drug abuse … she would just come out of the blue,” Ms Jorgensen told the inquest.

“She would say things like, ‘My kids are going to be taken away from me’.”

The court was told staff at the office would sit Ms McLeod down and make her a cup of coffee while she waited for Ms Jorgensen.

Ms Jorgensen said she would then settle Ms McLeod down, even while she was seeing a client.

“(Charmaine) was easily settled when she could talk through what was upsetting her,” she said.

The inquest continues.

Originally published as Charmaine McLeod inquest: Mum detailed fear of kids ‘dying in car crash’ years before horrific death