A mum who died in a fiery crash alongside her four children claimed she had received a “death threat” in a cryptic call to police made months before her death, an inquest has been told.
Shocking details of the phone call Charmaine McLeod made to the police assistance line were revealed on the fourth day of an inquest into the 2019 death of the Hervey Bay mum and her four children – Aaleyn, 6, Matilda, 5, Wyatt, 4, and Zaidok, 2.
The tragedy occurred when Ms McLeod was driving on the Bunya Hwy in Kumbia, in Queensland’s South Burnett region, in May 2019.
As she attempted to overtake a truck on the highway, her station wagon collided with another travelling in the opposite direction.
Ms McLeod and her four children died from injuries sustained during the crash.
The inquest into the family’s deaths is examining the adequacy of police responses to the complaints of domestic and family violence and allegations of abuse made by Ms McLeod against her and her children.
It is also examining the responses by relevant agencies to the protection, safety and welfare of Ms McLeod’s children.
On Monday, a Policelink operator revealed Ms McLeod made a call on February 17, 2019 where she lodged a wilful damage complaint.
The court was told Ms McLeod said someone had come to her house and cut “trampoline ties” and moved a ladder.
In the call she discloses that she had a domestic violence order against her former husband James McLeod.
Ms McLeod further states: “I have had a death threat, which has been reported to police.”
Mr McLeod – the father of Charmaine’s four children – has never been charged with any wrongdoing.
The woman who took the call said Ms McLeod was speaking quite fast during and she did not hear the specific words “death threat”.
“In that sentence, where she’s made that statement, she was talking about a matter she had reported to police recently, so that will have been addressed by police,” the woman said.
“So my role was to take the report that she was making at the time.”
The court was told the operator did not have any access to “flags” indicating Ms McLeod had mental health issues at the time.
The inquest also heard evidence from Detective Senior Constable Morris Cottrell, who revealed Ms McLeod claimed her ex-husband raped her on several occasions.
But police ultimately found the complaints were “unsubstantiated”, with Senior Constable Cottrell stating he did not find any corroborating evidence in Ms McLeod’s medical records.
Senior Constable Cottrell teared up on the stand upon finishing his evidence, telling the court he still would have come to the inquest despite being subpoenaed as a witness because what he had to say to the inquest was “important”.
He became emotional as he listed the names of the four McLeod children as his reason for attending.
The court has already been told of Ms McLeod’s harrowing history of mental health issues, including diagnoses of schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder.
In a handwritten note, found in her handbag at the site of the crash, Ms McLeod detailed fears she was “unable to cope” and fears for her children’s safety.
The court was told it referred to complaints of “rape” and of her children being “abused” and “molested”.
The inquest continues.
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