Mother hopes heartbreaking inquest findings will save lives

FIVE years on from the double tragedy, the mother of a girl who was killed by her father has welcomed recommendations made by the coroner.

Eeva Dorendahl-Hutchings, and father Greg Hutchings, have been missing from Pottsville since January 11, 2014.Contributed. Picture: contributed

THE mother of a girl killed by her father, who then took his own life, has responded to the inquest into their deaths.

Michelle Dorendahl reported her four-year-old daughter, Eeva, missing when her former partner and Eeva's father, Gregory Hutchings, failed to meet him to exchange the girl in accordance with a Family Law Court parenting plan on January 11, 2014.

Police initially logged the complaint as a custody issue, not a missing persons report.

Michelle Dorendahl and her solicitor, Peter O'Brien, have welcomed Acting State Coroner Magistrate Teresa O'Sullivan's findings, which were handed down this week.

After inquest hearings in Lismore in December, Ms O'Sullivan made the finding Mr Hutchings had ended his daughter's life and his own, possibly with the use of prescription drugs.

Her recommendations included that Missing Persons standard operating procedures and the Family Law chapter of the NSW Police Force handbook be amended so children who are not returned pursuant to a parenting plan or court order be treated as a missing person.

She also recommended that a training package for police be developed to help implement these changes.

She found a missing persons checklist - which includes queries on previous mental health issues - could have seen a more urgent search for the pair in the initial stage after their disappearance.

The inquest heard evidence Mr Hutchings had long-standing mental health struggles, which had been deteriorating in the time leading up to the tragedy.

"These findings are essential," Mr O'Brien said.

"Had police who were dealing with the mother, Michelle Dorendahl, asked her about the mental health of the accused and previous episodes of violence, she would have responded that there had been such episodes.

"This would have expedited the urgency of the matter, and a different result may have ensued."

Mr O'Brien commended Ms O'Sullivan for her recommendations and urged the NSW Police Commissioner to take them on board.

Ms Dorendahl also welcomed the findings.

"After five years, it is good to see an end to the coronial process at last," Ms Dorendahl said.

"It is my hope that the recommendations will be part of the cultural change required to save the lives of children to whom the family court offers no protection."

Eeva and Mr Hutchings were missing for 17 days before their bodies were found in bushland at Pottsville, about 1km from his home.