A coroner says more could have been done to help a five-year-old boy, who was brutally killed.
A coroner says more could have been done to help a five-year-old boy, who was brutally killed.
12 February 2021
Leon Jayet-Cole, who had autism, was rushed to hospital with a serious head injury in 2015 - but later died.
His drug-addicted step-father James Roberts was charged with his murder - but died before he went to trial.
In her report released today, Coroner Brigitte Windley says, before his death, Leon was exposed to an escalating risk of violence by Roberts - which Police, Child Youth and Family and Canterbury DHB should have collectively identified..
She said, instead they tended to accept explanations for his injuries from Roberts and Leon's mother Emere Jayet.
Coroner Windley said the systems and processes in place for identifying and responding to child safety concerns were "not utilised as they should have been
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