Shannon Jeffrey pleads guilty to manslaughter of Ballarat mum Kobie Parfitt

The friend of a Ballarat mother-of-four whose remains were found dumped down a mine shaft has admitted her involvement more than three years later.

Shannon Jeffrey has pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court to the manslaughter of Kobie Parfitt.

A convicted criminal has admitted to killing a Ballarat mother of four more than three years after she was reported missing and found dumped down a mine shaft.

Kobie Parfitt, 43 lived at a home on Hickman St in Ballarat Central.

She was last seen on April 28, 2020, but was not reported missing until November that year as she was estranged from her family.

During an emotional appeal for information at the time, Ms Parfitt’s mother Kathy Snowball said her daughter was a beautiful person, but admitted she had “lost her way”.

“She was a loving girl, she loved her kids, the one I knew was a beautiful person,” Ms Snowball said.

Kobie Parfitt.

Just before Christmas in 2020, detectives found Ms Parfitt’s remains down a mine shaft in nearby Snake Valley.

Shannon Jeffrey, who is aged in her mid-30s, was set to be tried for murder in the Victorian Supreme Court on July 11.

But in a shock move she appeared in court on Wednesday to plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Jeffrey remains in custody.

The matter will return to court in August.