Yagera woman Jayda Allen Bonner remembered at Melbourne vigil

Nearly a week has passed since Jayda Allen Bonner, a 21-year-old Indigenous woman, lost her life in an inner-suburban Melbourne apartment complex. Hundreds of mourners gathered in Melbourne for a vigil on Monday to honor her life and remember the impact she had as a "beautiful soul." Jayda's mother, Jade Allen, and aunt, Kellie Carter Bell, shared their grief, calling for Australians to take action against violence against women.

A 31-year-old man has been charged with murder and briefly appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court. The Bonner family had previously reported that Jayda had made a complaint to police about her safety, which she later withdrew. Despite this, the family claims they tried to contact police themselves but were told that since Jayda was an adult, authorities could not intervene.

Djirra, an Aboriginal family violence service, called the young woman's death "devastating" and expressed shock at her inability to access the support she needed. Ms. Braybrook, the chief executive of Djirra, emphasized that police have the power to investigate domestic violence and initiate intervention orders, questioning why they failed to do so in Jayda's case.

The organization is now working closely with Jayda's family, expressing disappointment that police did not connect her with their service before her death. While the investigation into her murder is ongoing, Victoria Police stated that they would review any interactions between police and the victim leading up to her death.