Coroner's Finding: Rigney, Amber Rose and Mitchell, Korey Lee

Unknown·Amber Rose Rigney: external airway occlusion with compression of the neck; Korey Lee Mitchell: compression of the neck

Two children, Amber Rose Rigney (6) and Korey Lee Mitchell (5), were murdered on 30 May 2016 by their mother's partner Steven Graham Peet. The Coroner found their deaths were preventable. The children's mother had been using ice (methamphetamine) and cannabis, leaving children without adequate food or care. Families SA received multiple notifications from 2015-2016 detailing concerns: Amber's severe school absenteeism (106 days absent in one year), mother's daily ice use and dealing, children left with near-strangers, family homelessness, and malnutrition. Despite these notifications meeting statutory thresholds for intervention under the Children's Protection Act 1993 (sections 19 and 20), the Department closed most matters using 'Notifier Only Concern' or 'Closed No Action' procedures citing resource constraints. The Department failed to investigate, consult with paternal grandparents willing to care for the children, involve police, or apply for court-ordered drug assessment. Previous coronial findings in Chloe Valentine and Ebony Napier cases had explicitly criticized identical failures regarding section 20(2) obligations. This represented egregious institutional non-compliance with mandatory statutory duties.