Inquest into the Suspected Death of Sylvina TARI
Deceased
Sylvina TARI
Demographics
72y, female
Date of death
1981-12 to 1982-02
Finding date
2020-05-27
Cause of death
Unknown - could be natural or accidental; no cause determined
AI-generated summary
Sylvina Tari, an elderly Aboriginal woman aged approximately 72, disappeared from Kalumburu Mission in Western Australia in August 1977. She was found to have died between late 1981 and early 1982, but her death was never officially recorded or registered. The coroner established death beyond reasonable doubt based on evidence that she had returned to the mission by late 1981 but died by February 1982. No cause of death could be determined. Key issues included lack of official healthcare records, failure to report her return to authorities after the mission administration changed from Benedictine monks to the Kalumburu Aboriginal Corporation, and the absence of death registration. This case highlights gaps in record-keeping and oversight for vulnerable elderly Aboriginal community members during periods of administrative transition.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Error types
Contributing factors
- Lack of official healthcare records
- Failure to report return to authorities after disappearance
- Change in mission administration from Benedictine monks to Kalumburu Aboriginal Corporation
- Absence of death registration
- No healthcare card enquiries made during administrative handover
- Vulnerable elderly person living in traditional community with limited oversight
Coroner's recommendations
- Official record of death now registered to correct the omission of Ms Tari remaining listed as missing person since 1977
- Implications for record-keeping during administrative transitions in mission-based healthcare settings
Full text
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