Community plagued by early deaths: ‘It’s been funeral, after funeral, after funeral’

KALGOORLIE has been rocked by another tragedy, with a 34-year-old woman taking her life at the site of teenager Elijah Doughty’s death.

Elijah Doughty, 14, was found dead in the bush beside a stolen motorbike near Kalgoorlie.

KALGOORLIE has been rocked by another tragedy, with a 34-year-old woman taking her life at the site of teenager Elijah Doughty’s death, as the community continues to reel over his alleged manslaughter.

Elijah, 14, was mowed down by a ute-driver and left for dead in August this year.

The teen’s lifeless body was found in bushland by a road in his home town of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. The driver, a 55-year-old man, was charged with manslaughter but has not yet entered a plea.

Elijah’s death, which some believed to be racially motivated, sparked community outrage and prompted a riot. Dozens of locals were arrested and faced charges.

On Monday, a 34-year-old mother of three, who was related to Doughty, travelled to the “sorry site” established by locals to mourn Elijah, and killed herself, the ABC reported.

Kalgoorlie police confirmed the death but did not comment further.

Her death is one of at least six suicides in the Kalgoorlie region during the past year with dozens more attempted suicides and incidents of self-harm.

More than 150 Aboriginal people took their lives in 2015, the highest figure ever recorded nationally. Suicide rates have been described as epidemic in some regions — including the WA Kimberley, and parts of the Northern Territory and Far North Queensland.

Social Justice Commissioner Dr Tom Calma, who has been at the forefront of national suicide prevention efforts for the past two years, told the ABC the “situation with our communities has been growing for decades”.

“It’s very, very frustrating,” Dr Calma said.

“There’s no consistent policy approach. There’s no consistent funding. And there’s definitely a lack of real and meaningful engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.”

Local Dianne Logan told the ABC “it’s just been funeral after funeral after funeral” in Kalgoorlie.

“Before somebody is buried, before we finished burying them, we’re hearing of another death,” she said.

“Historically Aboriginal people have a fear of welfare and police because they’re only there to take your kids away.

“Aboriginal people have been oppressed for many, many years and they’re not used to talking to strangers about what’s going on because nobody listens.”

Resident Dina Rundell told the ABC that premature deaths in Kalgoorlie was all too common.

“With the amount of death that’s going on after a while you’re just like becoming immune and you get that numbness and its like ‘oh my God, another death’,” she said.

Health Minister Sussan Ley is set to travel to the Kimberley on Friday to chair a roundtable on indigenous suicide, alongside indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion and Assistant Minister for Health Ken Wyatt, an indigenous man from Western Australia.

If you or anyone you know needs help you can call Lifeline on 131114.

Originally published as Community plagued by early deaths: ‘It’s been funeral, after funeral, after funeral’