On November 2, Australians from Whadjuk country (Perth) to Gadigal land gathered to hold space, show solidarity, grieve and mourn the loss of 15-year-old Noongar Yamatji schoolboy Cassius Turvey.
Cassius Turvey was the victim of an alleged brutal attack while walking home from school in the afternoon of Thursday October 13, and eventually succumbed to his fatal injuries that are allegedly perpetuated by white male Jack Steven James Brearley.
WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that the following article contains an image of a person who has died.
The WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch told Perth-based radio station 6PR that Cassius’ death was a case of him being in “the wrong place at the wrong time”.
Yet, as many First Nation’s advocates including Gamilaroi woman and journalist Brooke Boney and Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung, Dunghutti poet and advocate Lizzy Jarrett (who MC’d the #JusticeForCassius rally in Sydney) have pointed out, how can this Indigenous boy be in the wrong place at the wrong time on his own sacred land?
Over the 38 vigils hosted around the country, questions of “why” and reinforcement of Aboriginal rights resounded around the nation, however no other speech was as moving, potent and powerful than that of Cassius’ mother, Mechelle.
Tragically, Mechelle buried Cassius a month after his father, Sam Turvey, passed away from a battle with cancer.
It was revealed in Mechelle’s speech that Cassius was set to start a part-time after school job at Kmart, and that he was a leader amongst his community: a powerful reminder that this young boy’s life was ripped away from him before his time.
While Mechelle wasn’t present at the Sydney rally, Jarrett blessed attendees by reading out her statement on her behalf.
“I’m bout to be the volume for the voice of a beautiful sister named Michelle Turvey. For those who don’t know, she’s a sacred mother of young Cassius and these are her words,” Garret began on behalf of Turvey.
“I don’t want any more violence. I’m the only person who can get justice for my son. Stand alongside me, and I appreciate everyone, but I need to call out for calm. I am angry. Cassius’ friends and family are angry. But I don’t want any form of violence at any of these rallies in the name of my child,” Turvey wrote.
“Violence breeds violence. I want calm and peace. I don’t want to feel prejudices, bias, I don’t want to deal with stereotypes of First Nations people as violent,” she added.
“We know from the early days Cassius would be a shining star. This was easily seen by his family, by the way he smiled, he laughed, the way he cared about others. Cassius was people who treated everyone equally and respectfully. He was jovial, kind, and his heart larger than life.
“Cassius was the first and only child of my late husband Sam Turvey. Cassius was my 40th birthday present, which made him extra special. My husband was 47 years old, when he was born.
“We were still in mourning and stricken. When Cassius passed away.
“Cassius’ dad had only passed away on the 22nd of August, after two years battling cancer, and was buried on the 12th of September. I didn’t think how would we bury my son within months of losing Cassius’ dad.
“He was community orientated, involved in a local football group, and two basketball teams. He has so much respect for elders. He was the heart and soul of the community.
“Cassius wanted the community to see that young people weren’t bad people, and they could do the things.
“At 13 He set up a local lawn mowing gig. I remember this one day when he mowed two lawns and he said to me, ‘I wonder if anyone else wants their lawns done?’. I said to him, ‘why don’t you walk around us?’ He did.
“He left with our lawnmower, it was getting dark and I was starting to get worried and he didn’t have his phone on him. When he finally returned I said ‘where have you been all day?’ Cassius said ‘we mowed 50 lawns and five of them want us to come back.’
“Later he asked me the question, ‘because we made some money mum, do I have to pay tax?’ I thought that was so funny.
“He was so destined for work was about to start at Kmart. He had only just completed the training and induction and was about to stop work with a group of his mates at Kmart who he inspired to work with him.”
Speaking on Cassius’ passing, Mechelle reiterated that she demands answers for the tragic loss of her son.
“The answers I want is why?,” Mechelle wrote.
She alleges that a complete statement was not taken by the police from Cassius after the reportedly violent attack and there was no contact with her.
“It takes a loss of a loved one to get proper duty of care in an investigation,” she alleges.
“I feel that as his mum I should have been kept in the loop about the statement. The statement was incomplete. It was vital.”
Mechelle went on to talk about the importance of community and young Black lives.
“I want kids to embrace community without fearing community,” she added.
“In and out of schools, youth violence has escalated, we must reduce this and evidence gathering while other children were too frightened to intervene, not to like call it calling authorities. Children should be educated to contact teachers and authorities immediately.
“Governments need to invest in eliminating youth violence. It’s mandatory that there are significant investments in these centers, in programs where kids matter and work on building self esteem.
“There must be significant awareness of bullying and that these programs need some funding, mentoring. You just can’t put a poster up about money. You need mentors.
“I want a ‘Kids Matter’ program that instills empowerment in my Midlands community.
“We want to get kids to matter programs to begin in Midlands, where a significant proportion of the population are indigenous, which hopefully spreads across the country at a pace for lost and troubled young souls. They need mentors to the journey with them.
“I would like to see a program like this established and accessed all of the young people in my area. So then they can have a vision of Cassius where he started.
“Kids, matter, kids can do it.”
