Released today were the findings of the NSW State Coroner into the deaths of John Edwards and his children Jack and Jennifer Edwards. The formal findings were that Jack and Jennifer Edwards were killed by their father John, who later died of a self inflicted gunshot wound. Although not the subject of the inquest, the Coroner noted the later death of Olga Edwards, the mother of the children.
The inquest touched on wide range of issues including the police response (36), firearms permit procedures (76), gun club memberships (126) and family law proceedings (149) including the obligations of the independent children’s lawyer (157).
The Coroner’s twenty four recommendations appear at [1136] and include as the final recommendation that the Office of the Legal Services Commissioner investigate whether any disciplinary action ought to be taken against the Independent Chidren’s Lawyer (ICL) including in relation to the matters set out at paragraphs [866] to [905], [1005] to [1008], [1009] to [1039], and [1073] to [1088] of Section F of the findings.
- At [873] the Coroner found that a submission by the ICL to the Court was not only factually inaccurate but was materially misleading.
- At [1033] the Coroner found that a submission to the Court by the ICL was materially inconsistent with her duties as an ICL because it was contrary to the children’s wishes, it did not provide them with any independent decision-making capacity, it was not supported by any of the clinicians who had spoken with the children, and it knowingly brought the children into contact with an alleged perpetrator of harm.
- At [1088] the Coroner found that it was contrary to the role of the ICL to acquiesce to the making of orders that were contrary to what she believed were in the best interests of the children.