Warning: This article contains references to self-harm and content some readers may find distressing.
An inquest has heard evidence from a senior police officer who ran into a room to disarm a mother who was self-harming inside a Darwin crisis accommodation facility, describing the incident as “one of the worst days” of her policing career.
The inquest, presided over by Northern Territory Coroner Elisabeth Armitage, has this week been probing the events surrounding the death of Toko-Harieta Maki, who died on the morning of July 25, 2024.
The 33-year-old mother from New Zealand had fled a violent relationship five days earlier, and alleged her partner had refused to let her take their seven-month-old baby.
On Wednesday, the court heard that at around 8:12am on the day of the incident, two NT Police officers arrived at the domestic violence refuge where she was sheltering, to assist St John Ambulance paramedics by disarming Ms Maki.
Elisabeth Armitage is presiding over the inquest. (ABC News: Xavier Martin)
In confronting body-worn video that was played to the court, the mother could be heard screaming inside a locked room while paramedics briefed police officers outside.
The court previously heard paramedics arrived at the facility at 7:58am and spent just 23 seconds inside the room — where Ms Maki could be seen harming herself with a knife, surrounded by blood — before they stepped back out to await police assistance, letting the door lock behind them.
The footage then showed police and paramedics growing frustrated as they searched for a shelter staff member with a key to the room, and at one point discussed breaking in through a window.
“It was one of the worst days in my policing career,” the officer told the court.
“I remember vividly, I was quite panicked to get in the room.”
The court heard roughly six minutes after police arrived — almost an hour after Ms Maki had first called Triple Zero (000) — they gained access to her room.
NT Police had been called to assist paramedics at the scene. (ABC News: Pete Garnish)
“When that door opened, I was not fully prepared for what I saw,” the officer told the court.
“[The paramedic] did not convey to me that she is significantly bleeding inside and we need to get in there ASAP.”
She told the court she found Ms Maki sitting on the floor “actively self-harming” and that the woman was “fighting” with police as they tried to remove the knife she was using.
Family and domestic violence support services:
“She kicked the doorframe … she just kept screaming ‘Jesus cut it off’,” the officer said.
The inquest heard police placed Ms Maki in handcuffs to stop her from self-harming.
The death is being examined as a death in custody.
When asked what support NT Police had offered her in the aftermath, the officer said she had received a single email outlining various support services she could reach out to, but she had not had time to process the incident when it arrived.
“I heard nothing until we were summoned to this inquest,” she said.
Judge Armitage said NT Police had a duty of care to ensure its frontline responders were offered professional support, and requested the force provide a statement outlining what services had been offered by the end of the coronial.
“It’s incumbent on our police service to do more than send an email after an incident like this,” she said.
“Police understand that exposure to traumatic incidents, harms.”
Under cross-examination by NT Police lawyer Fiona Kepert, the officer conceded she had also received regular check-ins from her police sergeant.
The coroner said NT Police had a duty to provide staff with professional support where necessary. (ABC News: Hamish Harty)
Inquest hears mother was terrified for herself, her baby
Over the past three days, the inquest has heard Ms Maki had been desperately trying to regain custody of her son before her death.
It also heard Ms Maki, along with other agencies, had made several complaints about domestic violence against the partner.Â
If you or anyone you know needs help:Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467Lifeline on 13 11 14Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander crisis support line 13YARNÂ on 13 92 76Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636Headspace on 1800 650 890ReachOut at au.reachout.comMensLine Australia on 1300 789 978QLife 1800 184 527
Despite this, both the NT Police and the NT Department of Children and Families separately found there was no risk to the baby staying with his father.
In a distressing video recorded on a smartphone before she fled, which was played to the court on Wednesday, Ms Maki and her partner could be heard arguing, with their baby in the background.
At one point in the video, Ms Maki expressed pain before her partner repeatedly yelled, “come here”.
Later, he could be heard threatening her: “I’m going to flog you black and blue”.
The inquest heard distressing accounts of domestic violence. (ABC News: Pete Garnish)
Earlier in the inquest, a family violence specialist who had been Ms Maki’s case manager at the refuge testified that the mother had alleged her partner was abusive and that their baby had been exposed to the violence.Â
The specialist also described a large tattoo on Ms Maki’s body, which stated she was her partner’s “property”.Â
“She was terrified for her safety, but more so for her child’s safety,” the case manager told the court.
“The night before she ran, he had the baby as he was punching her and — when she made him aware — he threw the baby in the cot.
“I told all this to child protections.”
The inquest into Ms Maki’s death is due to continue tomorrow, when the court is expected to hear evidence from senior police and NT Department of Children and Families staff.