A woman charged with murdering her eight-year-old son has died at a Victorian correctional facility.
Joanne Finch, 42, had been in custody since March after her son Brodie Moran’s body was found at a Tootgarook house on the state’s Mornington Peninsula south of Melbourne.
Victoria Police confirmed a 42-year-old woman died at a Ravenhall correction facility, in Melbourne’s outer west on Tuesday.
Joanne Finch (pictured with her son Brodie) died in her jail
Ms Finch had been in jail since she was charged in relation to the death of her son Brodie Moran (pictured) in March
Her death is not being treated as suspicious.
Her lawyer Brendan Wilkinson said her sudden death has affected those who had rallied around to support Ms Finch since she was charged with Brodie’s murder.
‘Everyone is devastated. There was a whole team of people behind her, and the psychiatric staff who did everything they could,’ he told The Age.
‘The only thing she lived for was her son, and when Brodie was gone it proved too much.’
Mr Wilkinson told The Age there would be an inquiry into his client’s death.
‘She’s got family in England who will be devastated by this. It’s heartbreaking for everyone involved, including doctors and legal people,’ he told the publication.
Joanne Finch, pictured with her former partner Lee Moran and son Brodie was originally from the UK
Finch’s last court appearance was via videolink in June, where she was remanded in custody for a further committal mention in October.
Mr Wilkinson told the court she was suffering a ‘severe major depressive disorder’ at the time of her son’s death.
He applied to cross-examine witnesses during a possible upcoming committal hearing to determine if Finch should stand trial.
However, he cited a psychiatric report detailing Finch’s severe major depressive disorder at the time of the alleged murder, meaning a committal hearing might not go ahead.
Joanne Finch’s lawyer told the court in June she was suffering a ‘severe major depressive disorder’ at the time of her son’s death
Brodie Moran was found dead at a Mornington Peninsula home in March
Finch may have avoided a committal hearing or a trial if it can be proved she suffered a mental impairment.
Brodie’s father and Finch’s former fiance Lee Moran, who lives in China, took to social media to pay tribute to his ‘always happy’ little boy following his death.
‘Thank you to everyone that has sent well wishes,’ a heartbroken Mr Moran posted at the time.
‘At the moment I feel empty, still in shock. I have lost the best part of me… words can not describe how much I love and miss my little fella.’
Joanne Finch’s lawyer said that she lived for her son Brodie
Victoria Police said Joanne Finch’s death on Tuesday is not being treated as suspicious. She’s pictured with son Brodie
He added that he’d never felt his son was in danger with his mother.
Both of Brodie’s parents were originally from the UK and moved to Melbourne more than a decade ago.
They became engaged in 2012 before they separated in July 2015.
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