Deceased
Enid Cecilia Yeatman Hyde and Norman Reeve Hyde
Demographics
female
Date of death
1972-03-28
Finding date
2021-10-14
Cause of death
Presumed drowned at sea (Enid); Asphyxia due to drowning (Norman)
AI-generated summary
Two Aboriginal people, Enid Cecilia Yeatman Hyde (36) and Norman Reeve Hyde (24), died by drowning off False Cape near Yarrabah on 28 March 1972. The 1973 inquest findings were reopened in 2021. Evidence indicates both consumed significant alcohol during a day trip to Cairns. On the return journey by small dinghy, an argument occurred between Enid and her husband Charlie, who became jealous of interactions with Albert. Witnesses suggest Charlie poked or struck both Enid and Albert with an oar. Both jumped overboard to escape, entering choppy waters. Albert's autopsy confirmed drowning; Enid's body was never recovered. The coroner found no criminal fault but clarified that both jumped to flee Charlie's aggressive behaviour, not from accident or intentional self-harm. This inquest provides closure to Enid's family after nearly 50 years of uncertainty.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Drugs involved
Clinical conditions
Male, female, male, female·Nicholas Brown: combined drug (methadone and benzodiazepine) intoxication; Toni …
Joint inquest into four deaths of individuals prescribed opioid replacement therapy by Dr J. between September 2016 and August 2017: Nicholas Shane Brown (35), Toni Lee Wiki (38), Matthew Wayne Winwood (47), and Belinda …
40y · Male·Unascertained
Nathan James Taylor, aged 40, died in Port Lincoln Prison on 24 March 2022 while in custody pending trial on witness interference charges. He had significant medical history including infective endocarditis with tricuspi…
56y · Male·Unascertained
John William Swiety, 56, disappeared on 17 March 2023 in bushland near Goongerah, Victoria, after traveling with Daniel Harrison. Harrison's account contains significant inconsistencies and omissions. Although charged wi…
Source and disclaimer
This page reproduces or summarises information from publicly available findings published by Australian coroners' courts. Coronial is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any coronial court or government body.
Content may be incomplete, reformatted, or summarised. All court orders for redaction and non-publication are respected; documents with technically defective redaction have been excluded from the database entirely. Always refer to the original court publication for the authoritative record.
Copyright in original materials remains with the relevant government jurisdiction. AI-generated summaries and tagging are for educational purposes only, may contain inaccuracies, and must not be treated as legal documents. We welcome feedback for correction —