A coronial inquest in New South Wales has heard emotional evidence from the mother of a teenage girl who fatally stabbed 10-year-old Bridgette Porter in 2020, as investigators examine whether opportunities existed to identify and treat the teenager’s severe mental illness before the tragedy occurred.
Bridgette was killed in Gunnedah, in north-western New South Wales, in July 2020 by a 14-year-old girl who can only be identified as XR. The teenager was later diagnosed with schizophrenia and was found by the NSW Supreme Court to have committed the killing but was not held criminally responsible because of her mental illness.
During the inquest, attention turned to several incidents that occurred before Bridgette's death, including an episode more than a year earlier in which XR killed six chickens on a farm and threw them into a fire. Evidence before the court indicated the teenager filmed the incident and later showed the footage to friends. Investigators are examining whether events such as this should have been recognised as warning signs of a deteriorating mental state.
XR's mother told the court she did not view the chicken killings as evidence of a mental health crisis at the time. She explained that the chickens were already intended to be culled and said she regarded the incident as inappropriate behaviour rather than a sign of severe psychiatric illness. The mother acknowledged she was upset by what happened and punished her daughter but said mental health concerns were not something she understood well at the time.
The court also heard evidence that XR's parents disciplined her following the incident and removed privileges. However, the mother maintained she did not recognise the behaviour as an indication that her daughter required urgent psychiatric intervention.
In emotional testimony, the mother described Bridgette's death as the most heartbreaking event she had ever experienced and expressed sympathy for the young girl's family. She told the court that one of her greatest regrets was not having a better understanding of mental health issues and not being able to obtain more help for her daughter before the tragedy occurred.
The inquest has also heard that just days before Bridgette's death, efforts were underway to obtain specialist psychiatric treatment for XR, including discussions about a referral to a Sydney-based psychiatrist. However, an appointment had not been arranged before the fatal incident occurred.
Coroner's Court proceedings are examining whether there were missed opportunities by family members, health services, schools or other agencies to identify and respond to signs of severe mental illness. The inquiry aims to determine whether systemic changes could help prevent similar tragedies in the future.
The inquest remains ongoing and no final findings have yet been delivered.
