A mum-of-three who allegedly died at the hands of her partner in a domestic violence incident was left alone with him for more than an hour before she died.
Police officers arrived at Sarah Miles’ home in Casino in northern NSW an hour after first receiving a triple-0 call on June 29.
The distressed caller reported hearing screaming from inside the Johnston Street home and despite it only being a three-minute drive from Casino Police Station, by the time officers got there she was already unconscious as a result of traumatic head injuries.
The 40-year-old was unable to be revived and she died at the scene.
Ms Miles’ best friend, Kirsty Lee, blames her death on Richmond Police who she said ‘didn’t act’.
‘There are so many stations and officers, even in the surrounding areas, why didn’t they act when the first call came through,’ Ms Lee told the Northern Star.
‘My best friend might still be here today with her family and her kids. I am utterly heartbroken. I miss you Sarah, you will never be forgotten.’
Ms Miles’ partner, Dwayne John Creighton, 31, remains behind bars after being charged with her domestic-violence related murder.
He has yet to enter a plea and is due to face Lismore court on August 28.
Ms Miles son said he was having trouble ‘dealing with the fact that she was [allegedly] waiting for an hour on the floor’.
‘That is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life,’ Mr Miles told 9News.
‘My mother was a very strong person, [a] fighter always to the end. I’m so proud of her and I’m proud to have her as my mother and I’m proud to have been her son.’
NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley said an independent critical incident investigation is underway to figure out what went wrong.
‘This is a horrific situation and I want to apologise to the family for the tragic loss they’re enduring,’ Ms Catley said.
‘[The government and police] take alleged domestic violence incidents extremely seriously – it’s a top priority.’
In the meantime local politicians and those who knew Ms Miles have been slamming police online over a death that they believe could have been avoided.
A relative of Ms Miles said the entire situation was ‘utter bullcrap’, ‘traumatic’ and that it left her ‘extremely angry’.
Clarence MP Richie Williamson added that it was ‘alarming’ to see how long it took police to respond.
Nationals MP for the Federal electorate of Page, Kevin Hogan, shared the first details of what went wrong in the time between the first triple-0 call being made and officers arriving at the address.
‘Reports the triple-0 call was logged as a priority three, instead of a priority one and led to a delayed police response are exceptionally concerning,’ he said.
‘It’s imperative we understand what has caused the delay and ensure it never happens again.
‘Our community must have confidence that if they call triple 0, it will be treated as a matter of urgency.’
Former NSW magistrate and coroner David Heilpern claimed that Ms Catley’s investigation would not be helpful.
Mr Heilpern said there were ‘grave concerns expressed from all tiers of the criminal justice system about police investigating police’.
‘We have independent complaint and investigative authorities for all doctors, lawyers, judges and politicians – the public deserve the same for police,’ he said.
The internal investigation will be subject to an independent review by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) – and now the NSW Coroner.
However, Mr Heilpern said of the LECC that the lead investigators would be police and that reviews would also be by police who have a ‘history of cover-up’, he added.
‘This does not give the public confidence.’
Greens Member of the NSW Legislative Council and justice spokesperson Sue Higginson shared Mr Heilpern’s concerns.
Ms Higginson, who has a home near Ms Miles’, said that her death was ‘another tragedy … where police allegedly took too long to respond’.
She said by ‘allowing police to investigate where the police failed’ it appeared as though ‘the Minister would like to pin the blame for this tragic death on triple-zero’.
Ms Higginson said Richmond Police, who investigated ‘just 19 of 67 misconduct complaints made by members of the public last year’, needed to do better.
‘In two-thirds of domestic violence investigations, officers do not comply with their own operating procedures and three-quarters of investigations into violent incidents are inadequate,’ she said.
A NSW Police spokesperson said ‘it would be inappropriate to comment’ on the investigation while it is underway. Daily Mail contacted NSW Police for additional comment.
Domestic Violence Counselling Service 24-hour helpline: 1800 737 732
Lifeline on 13 11 14