Finding into death of Leanne Margaret Patterson

Contributing factors

• family violence (decades of physical and emotional abuse)
• chronic pain from multiple motor vehicle accidents
• depression
• sedation with benzodiazepines and zolpidem
• social isolation
• lack of detection of family violence by healthcare providers
• husband's undiagnosed or inadequately treated mental health issues
• husband's access to firearms
• husband's erroneous perception of infidelity

Coroner's recommendations

1. Victoria Police members should be advised that where a person contacts a police station out of hours to express concern for the safety or welfare of another, and that call is diverted to a second, open station, Victoria Police should: assess the call in the ordinary manner including by obtaining information from the reporting person about the nature, reason and background for the report or request; determine whether police attendance is warranted including for the purpose of conducting a welfare check; and if it is assessed that police attendance is warranted, ensure that a job is created and allocated accordingly, without requiring the caller to phone around or phone back to coordinate a response.