Dad wants inquest reopened into daughter’s tragic St Helens death

‘Something went terribly wrong that night’: A St Helens dad is calling for an inquest into his daughter’s death to be reopened, saying the investigation was botched and foul play shouldn’t be ruled out.

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A GRIEVING St Helens dad is calling for an inquest to be reopened into the tragic death of his teenage daughter – arguing foul play shouldn’t yet be ruled out.

Jason Westbrook’s daughter Eden died in February 2015, with a coroner deeming the following year in a confidential report that she died by self harm.

But Mr Westbrook says he’s identified a series of anomalies in the investigation into his daughter’s death that meant the coroner wasn’t provided with all the information they needed for a conclusive finding.

He said a police officer told the family there was CCTV footage that showed Eden arguing with a woman in the town’s skate park the night before her death – but that footage wasn’t provided to the coroner.

Mr Westbrook also said a number of witnesses weren’t interviewed after Eden’s death.

He also said his daughter’s body was not removed from public view for several hours.

“She was intelligent, was beautiful, was academic, was sporting, was a really proud teenager – was really smart,” Mr Westbrook said.

“Something went terribly wrong that night.”

Mr Westbrook said he’d written to nine politicians but hadn’t received any answers, so had enlisted the help of a lawyer to get the inquest reopened.

That lawyer, Glynn Williams, has now written to Chief Magistrate Catherine Geason, asking to reopen the investigation.

In that letter, Mr Williams said the date of Eden’s death had been recorded incorrectly, which he said needed to be “put right”, and that it was a matter of serious concern that her body wasn’t shielded from the public.

But he also said the investigation into the 12 hours preceding her death was deficient and that new evidence had emerged since the coronial findings were handed down, regarding two other people who may have been in contact with Eden just before she died.

A government spokesperson declined to comment when contacted by the Mercury on whether the case would be reopened.

“That is a matter for the courts,” the spokesperson said.

Anyone seeking support can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

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Originally published as Dad wants inquest reopened into daughter’s tragic St Helens death