British-Australian mother, Joanne Finch who was charged with the murder of her eight-year-old son has died in prison.
42-year-old Finch from Tootgarook on the Mornington Peninsula, was found dead at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre in Ravenhall, in Victoria, on Tuesday.
Her son, Brodie Moran was found dead at their seaside home in March, after a frantic triple zero call made by his mother, Finch.
A police spokesperson has said the death was not being treated as suspicious, releasing a statement declaring: “Police will prepare a report for the Coroner following the death of a 42-year-old woman at a correctional facility in Ravenhall.”
Brodie Moran, eight, was found dead at a Tootgarook house on the Mornington Peninsula in March.
Finch’s lawyer, Brendan Wilkinson told Fairfax there would be an inquiry into her death.
“Everyone is devastated. There was a whole team of people behind her, and the psychiatric staff who did everything they could,” he said.
The details of how her young son was murdered or exactly where he was murdered remain unclear.
Finch appeared before a Melbourne court earlier this year where it was revealed that she had been taking antidepressants, and at the time police were investigating whether the young boy may have suffocated.
According to The Herald Sun, Ms Finch told police she “heard voices in her head” and her son died after a “momentary lapse in reason.”
British-Australian mother, Joanne Finch who was charged with the murder of her eight-year-old son has died in prison.
Brodie’s father, Finch’s ex-partner Lee Moran was living in China at the time of Brodie’s death.
In an emotional statement released through Victoria police at the time, he expressed his deep regret that was not there to help his son.
“Firstly I wish to thank people for all the warmth and heartfelt sympathy they have shown me,” the statement read. “From old friends, concerned parents to strangers on the other side of the world.”
He added: “Brodie’s passing has touched so many people.”
“People will always have their own assumptions as to what led up to my beautiful son’s death. But the truth is there is no other story,” he said.
“At no point did I, or anyone around Brodie and Joanne, feel that he was in danger.”
“My deepest regret is that I wasn’t there to prevent his [alleged] murder.”
“At no point did I, or anyone around Brodie and Joanne, feel that he was in danger.”
Mr Moran said he and Ms Finch separated in July 2015, but he continued to support his child both financially and emotionally.
“Although Joanne and I had separated in July 2015, I never stopped loving, caring and supporting my son both emotionally and financially. Brodie and I had a weekly FaceTime session together when he would share with great enthusiasm all that he had done that week.”
He described his son as a “very loved, kind, considerate and caring boy,” adding that he lived “a life in his eight short years that many others may not live in a lifetime.”
Mr Moran added that he would always remember Brodie “with happiness of his warm cheeky smile and loving caring nature, and this is a gift he has left us all.”
