Coroner calls for CCTV coverage review after teen suicide in Grovedale

A coroner has called for CCTV coverage at railway stations across the state to be reviewed after a teenage girl was found dead at Waurn Ponds Creek.

A coroner has recommended the Transport Department audit CCTV coverage at train stations. Picture: Alan Barber

There are calls for the Transport Department to review its CCTV coverage at train stations after a teenage girl died by suicide in Grovedale.

The 16-year-old’s body was found at the Waurn Ponds Creek almost 24 hours after she was last seen boarding a train in Melbourne’s western suburbs in March, 2022.

Coroner Audrey Jamieson has recommended the department conduct an audit of CCTV coverage at both metropolitan and regional train stations following the girl’s death.

The coronial report stated the teenager, referred to as JQ, appeared to be in good spirits when she left for school on March 8, 2022.

At about 4pm that day, she was last seen by a friend at Laverton station boarding a train to Hoppers Crossing.

“Her friend did not notice anything unusual about her demeanour and believed she was on her way home,” the report stated.

At about 6pm, JQ’s parents texted her to see when she would be home but received no reply.

They reported the year 11 student missing to police and her father went to her school to see if she was there.

About 4:20pm the next day, a man was walking his dog along the Waurn Ponds Creek when he found JQ’s body.

Data recovered from her phone indicated she had arrived at the creek about 7:24pm the previous evening.

The report stated the teenager’s parents were concerned that there were delays for police to access CCTV footage.

Obtaining the footage required a 24-hour turnaround and vision was not available at Geelong and Marshall train stations.

A coronial report stated there was no CCTV footage available from Marshall train station (pictured) when the teenager went missing. Picture: Alan Barber

During a police investigation to find JQ, officers conducted a ground and aerial search across Altona, Werribee and Geelong.

They checked her Myki usage, which found she last used her card at Westona station about 3.32pm on March 8.

The report stated JQ had spoken to her parents and a friend about her mental health and had previously seen a psychologist.

Ms Jamieson has recommended the department audit its CCTV network to “ensure all (train) stations have appropriate coverage and that the footage is easily accessible to emergency services”.

“I find that the conduct of Victoria Police in their missing persons investigation … was appropriate in the circumstances,” she said.

Marshall station was upgraded in 2024 as part of the state’s Big Build project.

The department said it would respond to the coroner’s recommendation.

It did not directly respond when asked when an audit would take place or how emergency services currently gain access to CCTV footage during missing person investigations.

If you need help, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Originally published as Coroner calls for CCTV coverage review after teen suicide in Grovedale