The apparent suicides of five people who were undergoing a gender-affirmation process before they died will be investigated by the Victorian coroner.
The inquest, scheduled for November, will consider the otherwise unrelated deaths together, as the coroner is likely to make recommendations that could help prevent future suicides.
While the suspected suicides are not directly linked, the coroner believes investigating the deaths during the one inquest will lead to better informed recommendations.
All five of those who died were born between 1987 and 2001. The lead case involves Bridget Flack, whose body was found in bushland in the Melbourne suburb of Kew two weeks after she was reported missing.
The 28-year-old was last seen by her friend on the morning of 3o November 2020 in Lygon Street, Carlton. She had said she was going to take a walk in a park in Fairfield, but despite contacting people via phone later in the day, Flack never returned home.
Flack’s disappearance made national headlines and more than 120 people helped her family search for her, before her body was eventually found by a member of the public.
The Victorian coroner, Ingrid Giles, has issued an order on how the five people should be publicly referred to during the inquest.
“In July 2023, I assumed carriage of the investigation into the deaths of five young people who were undergoing a gender affirmation process prior to passing, and who had died by way of apparent suicide,” the order said.
“In order to assist the court in referring to the deceased persons in a respectful and culturally appropriate manner in these proceedings, the loved ones of the deceased were consulted in relation to the names that were in use by the deceased prior to passing, and which had been chosen by the deceased to correspond with their gender identity.
“I have determined it appropriate to refer in this proceeding to each deceased by what the evidence supports as their chosen name, even where this had not been legally changed.”
In one case, a pseudonym of “AS” will also be used, Giles said in the order.
Shortly after Flack’s disappearance, her sister described her as an incredibly intelligent and articulate person.
“She’s artistic, she sings, plays music, writes music, DJs. She writes beautifully, beautiful poetry and stories. She loves her job, she loves studying,” her sister said at the time.
A directions hearing will be held on 13 October before the inquest begins in late November. Three days have been set aside for the inquest.
• In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org
