Man Charged With Murder Following Assault of 15-Year-Old Aboriginal Highschooler

Warning: This article contains descriptions of violence and images of an Indigenous person who has died.

A 21-year-old man has been charged with murder following the death of a 15 year-old Aboriginal boy in Perth on Sunday.

Grade 9 student Cassius Turvey was walking home from school with a group of friends at about 4:30 p.m. on October 13. The teenagers were followed by a male passenger in a ute, who exited the vehicle and approached the group. WA Police allege the 21-year-old Middle Swan man, Jack Steven James Brearley, assaulted Cassius and another boy with a metal pole.

The violent assault left Cassius with a slashed ear and a gash on his head requiring seven stitches. Eight hours after being sent home, the Noongar boy suffered seizures and was taken to the Perth Children’s Hospital, where he was placed in an induced coma and underwent surgery to relieve the swelling in his brain. Cassius died from his injuries on Sunday.

Brearley, initially charged with unlawful wounding, had his charge upgraded to murder on Tuesday. 

The attack, which left another boy on crutches, has upset the community, of which Cassius was said to be an upstanding member. Cassius’ mother, Mechelle Turvey, told NITV that he had run a lawn mowing business on the side, only asking his customers to pay what they wanted to.

“He just wanted to let people know that the youth in our community, we’re not bad,” Turvey told NITV’s The Point.

“He’s got a really strong sense of community, him and his mates."

The mother of another boy who was there told NITV her son remained affected by the incident.

"I feel useless. Honestly I feel so angry, like I want to do something and there's nothing I can do. I can't protect him from any of this.

"I've always told him, 'you're an Indigenous boy, they're going to look at you and think all these awful things, just try and be smaller'.

"I hate that I had to explain that to my son at this age.”

Detective Senior Sergeant Stephen Cleal said there was no indication Brearly knew Cassius or the other boys he was with, the ABC reported.

“In terms of the motivation [behind] the attack, that is still subject to ongoing investigations by the homicide squad,” he said.

At this stage, reports of alleged racial slurs made towards Turvey are being investigated.

“His motivation is subject to further investigation, he’s clearly seen the group of kids walking along and approached that group,” detective senior sergeant Stephen Cleal said on Monday.

Brearly is in custody and will appear at Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court on November 9.

A Go Fund Me campaign set up by Cassius’ cousin Michelle to crowdfund costs for Cassius’ funeral and his family’s legal battles has amassed over $80,000. 

Mechelle Turvey told NITV she wanted her son to be remembered as a much-loved teenager who loved basketball and football, willing to give anything a go.

"He looks after everyone and has this beautiful gift of making people smile and laugh, and uplifting people," she said.

"Cassius was born a Pop, blackfulla style, and born an Uncle.

"He respects everyone, he respects his culture."