‘Lucky I’m not the judge’: Vyleen White’s family reacts to teen killer’s guilty plea

A daughter of Vyleen White has revealed how her mother’s violent death at a shopping centre car park near Brisbane almost sparked a second tragedy for her family.

The boy who fatally stabbed a 70-year-old grandmother at a shopping centre car park west of Brisbane has pleaded guilty to murder.

Vyleen White was brutally knifed on February 3 last year in the underground car park at Redbank Plains Town Square, Ipswich.

Vyleen White was brutally knifed in the underground car park at Redbank Plains Town Square, Ipswich, last year.

The suspect motive was the carjacking of her 2009 Hyundai Getz hatchback.

A 16-year-old boy was charged with murder in the days following, and four other youths were charged with lesser offences including unlawful use of a vehicle in relation to the alleged theft of Mrs White’s car.

The boy, who turns 18 later this year, pleaded guilty to murder in Brisbane Supreme Court on Tuesday as the beloved grandmother’s family looked on.

Mrs White’s daughter on Wednesday revealed the loss of her mother had almost sparked another family tragedy.

“We have all struggled,” Cindy Micallef said.

“My middle sister has attempted to take her own life. There was one instance about ten weeks ago where she nearly successfully did. She was in ICU for six days.”

Ms Micallef said her sister was later discharged from a mental health ward with a review plan, but without any follow-up support.

“These are the desperate gaps we have in the system, and if we are just one family, how many other families are going through this exact same thing?”

She also spoke of her frustration around the issue of repeat youth offenders being released into the community, saying many people are living in fear.

“You are fighting for your kids, and you are fighting for your own safety,” she said.

“They just need to be held accountable.”

Premier David Crisafulli said his government’s Adult Crime, Adult Time laws were aimed at restoring consequences for repeat offenders.

Victor White outside court on Tuesday. Picture: Newswire

“A decision was taken to weaken the laws ten years ago, our mission is to ensure there are consequences for those who continue to do those type of crimes,” he said.

He also acknowledged more investment was needed in the mental health system.

“There has to be everything from the support for people who are struggling, early intervention to turn kids around, those consequences for actions at the other end of the scale,” he said.

“We have a long way to go.”

In the wake of the teen’s plea, Mrs White’s husband Victor spoke of “the pain and suffering” caused by the youth, particularly to his six-year-old granddaughter who saw her grandmother fatally stabbed.

“The worst part is sitting in there and listening to what he did … attacking your wife, stabbing her directly in the heart and dying there on the floor in front of her granddaughter, and she’s the one who’s going to suffer for the rest of her life,” he said.

Mr White slammed the youth for “playing god”.

“He killed her by choice. There’s no other way to put it. He just killed her because he chose to kill her. He was acting like god,” Mr White said outside court.

Mrs White’s daughter Julie said it was confronting seeing the youth, who cuts a towering figure, in court.

Vyleen White’s daughter Julie outside court on Tuesday. Picture: Newswire

“It was very intimidating because all that went through my mind personally is, ‘what on earth did my mum think in that moment’,” she said.

“To be there with her granddaughter, I couldn’t imagine, and I’m holding back tears now, but those final (moments) I wouldn’t wish on anyone, and that’s what we want to prevent, is that from ever happening to anyone else.”

Ms White said she would not be celebrating the teenager’s sentence but it would bring some “solace”.

“It will be a relief because I don’t think any of us have actually fully grieved yet,” she said.

“You’ve always just got to keep yourself in all this little bubble of what next, what’s happening next (at court), and your anxiety just stays at a level of a ridiculous amount.”

Mr White said the teen was “lucky I’m not the judge” and that he believed in a “life for a life” but knew that would not occur when the youth is sentenced in November under the old legislation.

“What we’ve added with adult time, adult crime now is a future help to all Queenslanders,” he said.

“My family’s going through a lot of pain and suffering now because of what he done, we can’t bring Vyleen back but at least we can achieve proper justice in the future for everybody else.”

Mr White said he blamed the former Palaszczuk government for creating the “untouchables”, what he called repeat youth offenders who committed crimes while on bail.

Police at the crime scene in February 2024. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

Mrs White’s murder was one of several cases that led to a ground swell of action on youth crime, campaigned on heavily by the LNP which introduced tougher laws under the Adult Crime Adult Time moniker once in power.

Mrs White’s other daughter Cindy Micallef has previously told The Courier-Mail that she had vowed to push for change.

“At her funeral I said this is going to be a catalyst for change, it won’t be in vain and that’s what we’re doing, and I’ll continue to fight for that,” she said.

Julie and Victor outside court on Tuesday. Picture: Newswire

The new legislation which introduced a mandatory life sentence for murder committed by a youth is not retrospective, meaning Mrs White’s killer faces a maximum 10 years. This can be increased to life if the court finds the offence “particularly heinous”.

Standing with the Whites outside court on Tuesday, Victims First spokeswoman Lyndy Atkinson said whatever the sentence it “will never bring Vyleen back. It will never be enough”.

“Certainly the Whites have set a precedent for ACAT (adult crime adult time) but unfortunately, as we all know, that doesn’t count for this,” she said.

“I’ve watched this family since February last year and it’s been devastating to watch.

What this juvenile did that is just beyond reproach.”

Former police commissioner Katarina Carroll lays flowers at the scene of Mrs White’s murder. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

Mrs Atkinson said if the sentence was insufficient she had “faith that the Attorney-General will appeal”, as she has done in recent youth crime cases.

Ms White said “every aspect” of the family’s life had changed since her mother’s murder.

“One minute you get that knock on the door, next minute, your world’s falling apart. There’s been countless psychologist appointments, reduced work, just the general financial strain alone gets really overwhelming. Grief, as anyone who’s lost someone knows, it’s isolating,” she said.

“So yeah it’s been rough. That’s an understatement. That’s a really big understatement.

Ms White thanked the Queensland Homicide Victims Support Group for their help.

“They do endless amounts of work and they really need more recognition,” she said.

Cindy White at Vyleen White’s memorial at Kholo Gardens, Muirlea. The memorial opened to the public last month. Picture: Richard Walker

The youth had been committed in the Ipswich Childrens Court for trial in March on charges of murder, unlawful use of motor vehicles aircraft use and three counts of stealing all from the same day Mrs White was killed.

He pleaded guilty to all charges on Tuesday.

Sentencing will occur on November 12. He remains remanded in custody.

Originally published as ‘Lucky I’m not the judge’: Vyleen White’s family reacts to teen killer’s guilty plea