The first week of the inquest into Lachie Jones’ death has heard dramatic allegations, including staged phone calls and the boy’s body being stored in a freezer.
An early finish yesterday marked the end of week one in the inquest by coroner Alexander Ho, which comes more than five years after 3-year-old Lachie was found in a Gore oxidation pond.
Police quickly concluded Lachie had drowned, but later admitted they had "missed steps" in the initial investigation.
Next week, the inquest is expected to hear from more key witnesses, including Lachie’s father Paul Jones, who has never subscribed to the accidental-death theory.
Witnesses this week included Lachie’s mother, Michelle Officer, and his two half-brothers, Jonathan and Cameron Scott.
Earlier in the week, Max Simpkins, counsel for Mr Jones, questioned the family members, suggesting they knew Lachie was dead before he was reported missing.
He asked Ms Officer why she searched the oxidation ponds if her son had never been there before.
"You knew he was already there," he said.
"I didn’t know where he was," she said.
"You eliminate the dangers."
"If Lachie is no longer at home, there’s no need for Paul to go to the home, is there?" Mr Simpkins asked.
"I know what you’re getting at," Ms Officer said.
"My boys have a father that lives close by. If Paul comes to the house they just go to their father’s home."
Neighbour Deborah Thurston said that, after Lachie’s death, his mother had said "he’s done me a favour".
Ms Thurston said she believed Ms Officer made the statement because the death of her son meant she would spend less time with Mr Jones.
"She was frustrated, in shock, frustrated with Paul," the witness explained.
Ms Officer denied making the comment and described the conspiracy theories as "ludicrous".
"I’d rather drown myself than have one of my boys drown ... it’s really awful to say that to a grieving mother," she said.
The two brothers were also thoroughly cross-examined by Mr Simpkins, who asked Jonathan Scott, the younger of Lachie’s half-brothers, if he had stored the toddler in the freezer.
"That’s ridiculous," Mr Scott said in response to the allegation.
The witness admitted he was "not concerned" when he found out Lachie was missing.
Mr Simpkins put it to him that that was because he already knew the boy was dead.
"Despite the fact that [Lachie] was lost, missing, not there, your mother was panicking ... you elected to do nothing, is that right?" Mr Simpkins said.
"That’s right," Mr Scott confirmed.
"You knew your brother was deceased at that stage didn’t you?" Mr Simpkins said.
Mr Scott denied the allegation.
Eldest brother Cameron Scott also came under fire when Mr Simpkins alleged he and Ms Officer had staged phone calls to create a false record of where he was on the night.
The court heard that on the evening of January 29, 2019, Ms Officer made multiple calls to her eldest son who was at his father’s house.
One call was to ask for help ordering pizza online and another to inquire about the emergency police phone number — which neither of them knew.
"She’s rang you to organise the pizza and to speak to you about the emergency number so there can be a record that you were not at the house until much later," Mr Simpkins said.
"How dare you make something up like that," Mr Scott replied.
A victim support representative visited the two brothers shortly after they received the news of Lachie’s death.
In a job sheet she wrote: "I asked them how they were coping, they just brushed it off as if it wasn’t an issue".
Both brothers explained to the inquest they did not want to speak with a stranger about their brother’s death.
But Mr Simpkins did not believe that explanation.
"You brushed it off because you knew more about what really happened to Lachlan, didn’t you Mr Scott?"
The witness denied that was the case.
Both brothers said they loved Lachie and got on with him well.
They each advocated for Ms Officer, saying she was a good mother who was overprotective at times.
The inquest will begin again on Monday.
