Finding into death of Indianna Price-Mihayo
Deceased
Indianna Grace Price-Mihayo
Demographics
3y, female
Date of death
2014-04-20
Finding date
2017-02-14
Cause of death
Undetermined, consistent with suffocation or drowning
AI-generated summary
Indianna Grace Price-Mihayo, aged 3 years, was killed by her father Charles Mihayo on 20 April 2014 during a custody visit, in a case of filicide within a context of family violence and parental conflict. The death occurred after her parents separated in 2012 and engaged in dispute resolution services. The coroner identified that the Greensborough Family Relationship Centre (FRC) could have better implemented the Common Risk Assessment Framework (CRAF) when Ms Price disclosed concerns about Mr Mihayo being 'triggered' by a recent child homicide (Luke Batty's death). Staff advised Ms Price to 'rely on her gut instinct' rather than providing comprehensive risk assessment, safety planning, and strategies such as supervised contact. The FRC's response transferred decision-making back to Ms Price without adequate information. Key clinical/systemic lesson: Family Dispute Resolution services working with separating families must conduct comprehensive risk assessments for family violence, particularly where children are involved, and provide concrete safety planning and referral pathways rather than general reassurance.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Error types
Contributing factors
- Filicide in context of parental separation and child custody dispute
- Family violence and marital discord between parents
- Father's hostility and threatening behavior toward mother over custody arrangements
- Inadequate risk assessment and safety planning by Family Dispute Resolution service
- Failure of FRC to comprehensively implement Common Risk Assessment Framework
- FRC staff response limited to advising mother to 'rely on gut instinct' without concrete safety strategies
- Lack of discussion of supervised contact or other protective measures
- Father's research into 'ways to kill your wife' in weeks prior
- Father's previous threats to kill the mother
- Proximity of incident to high-profile filicide (Luke Batty death two months prior)
Coroner's recommendations
- Support Royal Commission recommendations regarding implementation of the revised Family Violence Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework (CRAF) by 31 December 2017, with minimum standards, risk rating, evidence-based risk indicators specific to children, and comprehensive practice guidance applicable to diverse populations
- Support Royal Commission recommendation to amend the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic) to establish a rebuttable presumption that children who have experienced family violence should be included in or protected by family violence intervention orders within 12 months
- Support Royal Commission recommendations to prioritize reducing family violence in rural, regional and remote communities, improve access to services, investigate technological solutions for service delivery, and recognize importance of building capacity of universal services
- Following validation of the CRAF, all agencies operating in family dispute resolution should integrate use of the CRAF to accurately identify risks to persons and relevant children and give greater weight to victims' level of fear
- Relationships Australia should continue inclusion of the CRAF in Family Relationship Centre policies and reinforce through continuing professional development of staff members
- Victoria Police and Crime Stoppers should conduct trial extending the 'Say Something' campaign to family violence to promote definition of family violence in broader community and assist family and friends of victims to identify risk and seek assistance
Full text
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