It is so heartbreaking. This week, in Perth’s Supreme Court, the two men that killed Cassius Turvey will be sentenced—Jack Brearley and Brodie Palmer. They were found guilty of murdering the 15‑year old Noongar‑Yamatji kid, after an awful vigilante attack with a metal pole in October 2022. I can feel this: a gentle kid, a kid with so much to give, hunted and chased down by adult men fueled by fear and hate. And now here is his mum, Mechelle Turvey, raw and real, standing in the court telling them how her heart and her family was ripped apart, a couple of days after, his father died of cancer.
Why the sentencing is so heavy
It feels as if this is not just a sentencing—it is a beings dive into so much pain and anger. His mum told the court how Cassius was respectable and friendly, how he was planning a little lawn-mowing crew to assist other Indigenous youth in developing pride. It had been weeks since his dad had passed and Cassius was still going, still caring for his mum, his family, and his community. Then, just a few days ago, a gang of adult men with poles were going to ‘hunt’ school kids because of someone’s broken car window. They grabbed Cassius, hit him over and over. That’s when I thought: “This is more than crime. It’s tearing community trust.”
Unlikely to convict them of racist motives, but a judge was aware, especially when the court heard that they had used racial epithets before Barlow and Cassius were assaulted—that's yet another layer of tragedy to an already tragic case. Justice Quinlan acknowledged the use of racial slurs as an aggravating circumstance. Although not relevant to the murder charge, the judge noted that the racial slurs had engendered real fear that was directed specifically at Cassius and his friends. That needs to be noted now, not only for the purposes of sentencing, but for discussions about racism and violence in general.
Community grief turns into worldwide calls
There were bodies in the courtroom, and many faces displayed their grief. But outside of the courthouse, the grief was public and extraordinary: two-minute silences, candlelight vigils in Perth, Sydney, and even Los Angeles. A group of artists in WA wrote a song called Forever 15 for Cassius. His mother did not want hate to be a part of this tragedy—they lit candles for calm and healing. I just imagined how those images of people, weepingly, were collectively grieving the loss of an innocent life: "Whoa, this really hits home on so many levels"
"No word can ever truly encapsulate the devastation of losing someone you love to violence." –Mechelle Turvey, outside the court
But still: It was Instagram and posted by NITV. It's nothing fancy. Just a mother's heartbreak made public. You can feel the reality.
What happens next—and why we care
- Sentencing is coming soon. Imprisonment is possible, especially given the hate aspect.
- Is there a legal precedent?: Courts may take a more serious view when hatred is the motive of violent actions.
- Focus on safety for our youth: if it's easy for grown adults to hunt teens, what chance do our youth have on the streets?"
This is not only Cassius' story. It is a message. Wild violence predicated in fear, unchecked hatred, an adult mob mistaking kids for something threatening, and when his mum informs the court about the trauma, green shirts now bring panic because of the Ambulance, those are the stories that won't get told in our daily headlines.
A mum’s lasting heartbreak: daily reminders of loss
It is not easy. Every morning for her, Mechelle now wakes up to silence instead of Cassius's voice. She was telling that she is anxious now when she sees green. His school color, and the color of the ambulance that sped him away in, "He was my future, my family, my home," she told the court, with tears in her eyes. It was real, raw, human. If that doesn't shake your soul and change the way you look at the world, what will?
She also spoke about Cassius attempting to talk other kids down from fights, rather than escalate them. That demonstrated his nature: kind, caring, and thoughtful. However, this mob, viewed him as a threat first. That was so wrong, so painful, so unfair.
Key points that few are talking about
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Cassius’s lawn‑mowing initiative wasn’t just a job—it was him lifting peers, teaching leadership.
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The attackers hunted schoolkids over a smashed windscreen—mostly innocent.
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He identified one attacker in hospital, even after the beatings—astonishing bravery.
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Race wasn’t in the charges, but the court flagged it. That matters.
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His mum’s grief is ongoing: fear triggered by flowers, colours, moments—“pills and counselling” she told court are her new routine.
Voices from social media
Instagram (NITV Australia):“Cassius Turvey’s mum has told the court the impact her son’s murder has had…”
X (formerly Twitter, @ABCNews):“Cassius Turvey’s mother delivered a heartfelt victim impact statement…”
The heartbroken mother of murdered teenager Cassius Turvey has given emotional evidence to a Perth court. Three men were found guilty of killing the 15-year-old, with a judge now considering their sentence. pic.twitter.com/ELEFQXubiz
— 10 News First Perth (@10NewsPER) June 26, 2025
These posts aren’t polished—they’re gut-punch alerts: pain, grief, community shock.
Why this story should matter to you
Because this case shows what happens when hate goes unchecked, and young people pay the price. Cassius was kind, setup projects, fought harsh stereotypes—not someone who deserved violence, ever. His death reminds us how fast things can go wrong when fear leads adults astray.
It matters today in court. It matters tomorrow in how we protect kids. It matters in every “ordinary” morning when a mum like Mechelle has to swallow grief again.
Final thoughts
This isn’t just one more crime story. It’s about community, grief, justice, and whether our courts truly see racial hate as the poison it is. Cassius’s mum laid it bare: no mum should bury her kid. And as Perth waits for sentencing, we all feel a little more aware. A little more accountable.
