7.7.2.10 Significant past personal history
One or more were noted in 77 (51%) of the 151 cases.
• History of physical or sexual abuse; in a relationship of abuse;
successive relationship breakdowns; long forensic history;
death of a child or partner or series of deaths of loved ones;
or spouse or siblings murdered; past trauma at witnessing the
effects of terrorism or a repressive regime; children taken into
care or the subject or court orders; estrangement from family
of birth or adoptive or foster family; failure of business venture;
failure to achieve personal goals; loss of property, and loss or
successful career.
(Family member statement about past life of the deceased):
He was apparently involved in preparing the bodies of the
victims of terrorist activities for the police photographers and
this caused him to suffer emotional trauma and to start using
drugs. By the time he was in his mid20’s he was an IV user
and on one occasion he attempted to take his own life by
injecting air into his veins. PM toxicology: morphine =
0.13mg/L; cocaine = 0.30mg/L. [Coronial file no. 2]
Deceased (male aged 31) was brought up in a children’s
home until the age of six, having been made a ward of the
court at birth. He was then adopted and taken back into care
at age 11. He was then put in a shortterm foster home
before going to long term fostering where he remained until
he was 17. At this time he had a forensic history with two
custodial sentences. At age 23 he was diagnosed with
significant depression with suicidal thoughts and he was
prescribed fluoxetine (20mg) and referred for full assessment
to a day hospital, but due to a lack of attendance he was not
able to be fully assessed. He had a six year history of IV
opiate addiction and four years before his death he
underwent opiate detoxification. PM toxicology: morphine =
0.26mg/L: cocaine = 1.08mg/L. [Coronial file no. 19]
Deceased (male aged 57) was estranged from his former
wives and one child because of his longterm polydrug abuse
and alcohol problems, and also estranged from his family of
birth because his sisters blamed him for the death of his
mother and recently he was not invited to attend the funeral
of his brother (a celebrity). PM toxicology: morphine =
0.55mg/L; methadone = 0.32mg/L; cocaine = 0.50mg/L;
benzodiazepines detected. [Coronial file no. 35]