Finding into death of Brittany Harvie

Contributing factors

• Intimate partner violence perpetrated by Mataio Aleluia
• Failure of Victoria Police to properly investigate family violence incidents on 10 February 2015 and 16 February 2015
• Inadequate evidence collection and witness statement verification by police
• Failure to secure available CCTV footage of assault
• Inaccurate documentation in LEAP records limiting risk assessment
• Lack of information sharing between Victoria Police and Youth Justice regarding family violence perpetration
• Youth Justice unaware of Aleluia's multiple family violence incidents
• Inadequate risk assessment documentation by youth counsellors
• Perpetrator's jealousy, control and suspicion of infidelity
• Perpetrator's unemployment and financial dependence on victim
• Perpetrator's history of violence towards previous partner
• Perpetrator's breach of prior Family Violence Intervention Order
• Victim's pregnancy and recent childbirth
• Victim's isolation from support networks
• Victim's vulnerability due to homelessness and transient lifestyle

Coroner's recommendations

1. Victoria Police and the Victorian Department of Justice and Community Safety update their policies and procedures for information sharing to ensure that when an offender under the supervision of Youth Justice is arrested or is the subject of a family violence investigation, Victoria Police provide this information to Youth Justice so that current and accurate risk assessments of offenders under the supervision of Youth Justice can be completed. An automated system should be developed to replicate the efficiencies of the L17 referral notification process and ensure timely sharing of relevant information.
2. The Victorian Department of Justice and Community Safety review their policies and procedures to ensure that Youth Justice offenders who attend counselling programs funded or operated by Youth Justice or Justice Health accurately record and utilise an appropriate family violence risk assessment tool when assessing a youth offender's current or future risk of harm to self or others. These assessments should draw upon relevant family violence information shared within the Child Information Sharing Scheme and Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme to enhance the assessment of risk.
3. The Victorian Department of Justice and Community Safety review the training and professional development of mental health practitioners who staff any programs funded or operated by Youth Justice or Justice Health to ensure they are adequately trained to identify and manage family violence risk for their clients.