Horrific contents of handwritten note revealed after Charmaine McLeod and her four kids killed in crash

Shocking claims have been made about the lives of Charmaine McLeod and her four children in the lead-up to their deaths in a fiery head-on crash.

A handwritten note found in the mangled wreckage of a fiery head-on car crash that claimed the lives of a mother and her four children detailed the woman’s fears for her kids and how she was struggling to cope.

But a barrister has warned the deaths of Charmaine Harris McLeod and her children in the 2019 crash cannot be “so simply dismissed” as a murder suicide, saying the deaths occurred against the backdrop of severe mental health issues and allegations of sexual abuse.

The 35-year-old mother and her children Aaleyn, 6, Matilda, 5, Wyatt, 4, and Zaidok, 2, were killed on May 27, 2019 when their car slammed into a truck in a fiery collision on the Bunya Highway, near Kingaroy.

On the first day of a two-week inquest into their deaths, Counsel Assisting the Coroner Kylie Hillard said a “fateful” note was discovered inside Ms McLeod’s pink handbag amid the wreckage.

“That note … had handwritten notations on it over a number of pages where Charmaine referred to being unable to cope, being worried about the fate of her children, and that she had sought help,” Ms Hillard said.

“It referred to complaints of rape, it referred to complaints of two of her children being molested, it referred to complaints of her children being abused and generally referred to the justice system.”

Dozens of witnesses are expected to be called during the two-week inquest before Coroner Kerrie O’Callaghan which will examine the adequacy of the support given to the family by police, Queensland Health and child services.

Charmaine Harris McLeod and her four children were killed in a car crash near Kingaroy.

“While Charmaine had many mental health issues, the deaths of her and her four children are not so simply dismissed as suicide due to her mental health nor is it as simple as saying it was a murder suicide or that she acted in a premeditated or vicious manner as suggested by some,” Ms Hillard said.

“Equally it is not the case she should have simply been disbelieved because of her mental health issues when she sought assistance from government departments.”

The court on Wednesday heard Ms McLeod “had a long history of mental health problems” dating back to at least 2009 with diagnoses of schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder.

“Charmaine’s mental health issues were often characterised by hallucinations, commands to harm herself or others, hallucinations of animals speaking to her, she experienced paranoia believing others were after her and she experienced stress and distress from a variety of sources,” Ms Harris said.

“Her mental health issues were longstanding and serious but her mental health was misunderstood and not recognised by many.

The court heard just hours before her death, Ms McLeod had expressed concerns to a domestic violence worker about her two girls allegedly being sexually abused but nothing was done after she reported it.

A women’s refuge worker who interviewed Ms McLeod during the intake process for a shelter said she also talked about receiving threats, including allegations a person had driven past making gestures of a gun to the head.

Charmaine McLeod and her four children were killed in a crash near Kingaroy in 2019. Picture: Sky News Australia

“Charmaine said that the police officer made a comment of ‘you should not take the children away from their father’,” the woman, who cannot be identified, told the inquest.

Asked Ms Hillard whether Ms McLeod spoke about alleged sexual abuse of her or others, the witness said: “Charmaine said that their whole relationship even before they were married, there was sexual violence”.

“Charmaine spoke about how two of the children were from rape,” the witness said.

“Charmaine was also concerned that the two girls had disclosed something of the sexual nature to Charmaine which she said she reported, but nothing had been done.”

Another woman known to Ms McLeod gave evidence the mother-of-four had long struggled with mental health issues and previously attempted suicide.

“Charmaine had always had issues with voices,” the witness said.

“She always struggled with her mental health and voices telling her to do things.”

James McLeod leaves the Brisbane Magistrates court on Wednesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

The woman, whose identity has been suppressed by the court, said Ms McLeod made out to her that she could “cope” with the voices and that she “was stronger than them”.

She said Ms McLeod “absolutely” appeared to want to hide her mental health struggles.

The woman also gave evidence about witnessing an incident at the McLeod’s home at the end of 2014 in which she claimed James McLeod asked one of his children to hold his penis while he urinated.

“I witnessed James ask Matilda to come to the bathroom with him so she could hold his penis while he urinated,” she said.

The woman said she raised the incident with Charmaine who “laughed it off like it was normal behaviour for the household”.

A woman known to Charmaine McLeod has spoken at an inquest into the deaths of Ms McLeod and her four children. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Under questioning from Mr McLeod’s barrister Amelia Hughes, the woman conceded that she never took that allegation to police or Child Safety.

“You would have known a young child holding a man’s penis was a crime,” Ms Hughes put to her.

“You made this whole incident up because you’ve never liked my client.”

The woman responded: “I haven’t lied about this incident”.

The inquest continues.

CONTENTS OF HANDWRITTEN NOTE FOUND AFTER HORROR HEAD-ON

A handwritten note found in Charmaine Harris McLeod’s pink handbag at the scene of a horror crash that claimed the lives of her and her four children will come under the microscope at an inquest into their deaths.

The 35-year-old mother and her children Aaleyn, 6, Matilda, 5, Wyatt, 4, and Zaidok, 2, were killed on May 27, 2019 when their car slammed into a truck in a fiery collision on the Bunya Highway, near Kingaroy.

On the first day of a two-week inquest into their deaths, Counsel Assisting the Coroner Kylie Hillard said Ms McLeod’s mental health and allegations of sexual abuse of her and two of her children would be examined.

Charmaine McLeod and her four children were killed in a crash near Kingaroy in 2019. Picture: Sky News Australia

Ms Hillard said on the evening of May 27, 2019, the mother and children were travelling the family’s Nissan X-Trail SUV when it collided with a semi-trailer.

The court heard Ms McLeod had overtaken a truck before the head-on collision with another truck.

Both vehicles were engulfed in flames, sparking grassfires around the scene.

Ms McLeod, Matilda, Wyatt and Zaidok died in the crash and the eldest child Aaleyn was thrown from the car and died on the way to hospital.

Ms Hillard said a police officer who oversaw the forensic examination of the scene would give evidence about the point of impact and his opinion on whether mechanical fault of either of the vehicles played a role.

Charmaine Harris McLeod with her four children, Aaleyn, Matilda, Wyatt and Zaidok.

“Senior Constable Christopher McKindley will also speak about a pink purse that was located at the scene that was collected amongst the debris,” she said.

“That purse assumes significance because as will be explained by coronial investigation office Detective Senior Constable Lisa O’Leary in her evidence, when the purse was examined it contained a note that pointed the way for this inquest to take shape.”

Ms Hillard said the inquest would closely examine the contents of Ms McLeod’s note.

“That note … had handwritten notations on it over a number of pages where Charmaine referred to being unable to cope, being worried about the fate of her children, and that she had sought help,” Ms Hillard said.

“It referred to complaints of rape, it referred to complaints of two of her children being molested, it referred to complaints of her children being abused and generally referred to the justice system.”

The court heard Ms McLeod “had a long history of mental health problems” dating back to at least 2009 with “a history of schizophrenia and the diagnosis varied to borderline personality disorder”.

“Charmaine’s mental health issues were often characterised by hallucinations, commands to harm herself or others, hallucinations of animals speaking to her, she experienced paranoia believing others were after her and she experienced stress and distress from a variety of sources,” Ms Harris said.

“Her mental health issues were longstanding and serious but her mental health was misunderstood and not recognised by many.

“While Charmaine had many mental health issues, the deaths of her and her four children are not so simply dismissed as suicide due to her mental health nor is it as simple as saying it was a murder suicide or that she acted in a premeditated or vicious manner as suggested by some.

“Equally it is not the case she should have simply been disbelieved because of her mental health issues when she sought assistance from government departments.”

The court heard in the months before her death, Ms McLeod had attended on many different government agencies for help.

THE HANDWRITTEN NOTE IN THE PINK PURSE

The pink purse at the centre of the inquest was “quite remarkably” found relatively undamaged amid the twisted metal and scorched earth surrounding the crash area.

Senior Constable Christopher McKindley. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Graphic photos of the fiery crash scene were shown during the evidence of forensic crash investigator Snr Con Christopher McKindley.

Ms Hillard asked where the “fateful” pink purse had been located.

“It was on the debris path … sitting up on a piece of a body panel, relatively undamaged which was quite remarkable,” Snr Con McKindley said.

When he arrived on the scene and looked inside Ms McLeod’s SUV it was apparent to him the people inside could not have survived the crash.

Both vehicles suffered extreme fire and impact damage with the B-double truck coming to a rest on its passenger side about 86m from the point of impact which occurred in the middle of the left side of the road in the truck’s direction.

The SUV came to a stop about 35m from the point of impact which was marked by a large gouge in the highway, the inquest heard.

Snr Con McKindley said the investigation into the crash was affected by the fire however in his opinion speed was not a factor.

“My view of the evidence of the scene was speed wasn’t a factor. It is a 100 km/per hour area and a substantial impact would be expected particularly with the large divergence in the energy that each vehicle carries through the weight differences,” he said.

He said there was no evidence of wildlife being involved in the collision however the area was rural and animals are always in the vicinity.

The inquest heard telco records indicated neither driver was using their phone at the time of the crash.

Coroner Kerrie O’Callaghan made an order suppressing any publication of the graphic forensic scene photos.

WHAT WILL THE INQUEST EXAMINE?

Coroner Kerrie O’Callaghan will preside over the inquest into the deaths that were investigated as a possible murder-suicide. It is expected to run for two weeks.

A number of government departments are expected to come under the microscope including Queensland Health and the Department of Children.

The coroner will be asked to make findings about:

– The appropriateness and adequacy of the police responses to the complaints of domestic and family violence and allegations of abuse made by Ms McLeod against her and her children.

– The appropriateness and adequacy of the mental health responses by Queensland Health, associated entities and service providers responsible for Ms McLeod’s care, treatment and monitoring as well as their responses to her domestic and family violence complaints and child abuse complaints.

– The appropriateness and adequacy of responses by relevant agencies to the protection, safety and welfare of the children, including Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs, the Queensland Police Service and Queensland Health.

The father of the four children, James McLeod, has arrived at the Brisbane Coroners Court for the start of the inquest which will be led by Counsel Assisting the Coroner Kylie Hillard.

Originally published as Horrific contents of handwritten note revealed after Charmaine McLeod and her four kids killed in crash