In a deeply troubling coronial investigation, the third and final day of hearings shed light on the distressing circumstances surrounding the deaths of five transgender women in Melbourne during 2020 and 2021. Bridget Flack, Heather Pierard, Matt Byrne, Natalie Wilson, and AS took their own lives, leaving grieving families and the LGBTQIA+ community in anguish.
The Victorian Coroner Ingrid Giles led the inquest, which brought to the forefront issues of police conduct, mental health care access, and the challenges faced by the trans and gender-diverse community. Transgender advocate Joe Ball, representing Switchboard Victoria, expressed grave concern over the failure of the police to support or intervene in the LGBTQIA+ community’s efforts to locate Bridget Flack when she went missing in 2020. This lack of support exposed a large number of people to the distressing news of her suicide, leaving a lasting impact.
The LGBTQIA+ community rallied together, with thousands of members participating in the search for Bridget, physically searching for her and creating a dedicated Facebook page. Tragically, she was found by two community members 11 days later, having taken her own life. It was revealed that Victoria Police had not formally supported the community-led search, and Bridget’s sister, Angela Pucci Love, faced communication difficulties with the police during the initial investigation.
Deputy Commissioner Neil Paterson acknowledged the shortcomings in the police response, admitting that better management could have prevented community members from finding Bridget deceased. The coroner’s court also uncovered discrepancies in police evidence concerning the access to accurate “phone triangulation” data from Bridget’s phone, which could have provided her location before her phone ran out of battery.
While there was no evidence of bias in the police response, the failure to recognize Bridget’s vulnerability was apparent. She was assessed as a “medium risk” by police systems, a classification deemed inadequate by Joe Ball, who argued that Bridget should have been listed as a high risk. The emotional toll on those who found her remains a haunting reminder of a tragedy that could have been averted.
The court also heard heart-wrenching statements from the families of the deceased, highlighting the profound impact of these suicides. Kedra Pierard, Heather’s mother, described her daughter as someone who made people feel important and loved. Angela Pucci Love emphasized her sister Bridget’s multifaceted identity, urging others to see her as more than just a statistic. Rachel Byrne, Matt’s mother, shared the relentless grief she experiences and the desperate attempts to prevent her child’s tragic fate.
The coronial inquest has brought to light the need for better police involvement, mental health support, and understanding of the vulnerability of transgender individuals in distress. These revelations serve as a stark reminder of the work that remains to be done in addressing the unique challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community.
