My name is Jessica, and six years ago my brother, Luke Huggard ended his life. My family are still waiting for an inquest into Luke’s death and his funeral. 

On April 2nd 2017, Luke was picked up by police at an ocean cliff in New South Wales. They believed he was attempting suicide. He was taken to the Kiloh Centre at Prince of Wales for assessment. Luke had a history of mental health issues and was an outpatient at The Hills Centre in Kellyville.

On April 4th, 2017, he was released without a proper assessment, only given a referral that he never attended. He walked back to the cliff and ended his life. 

Please sign this petition calling for an inquest into his death and help me give my brother the funeral he deserves. Nobody deserves to wait six years to have a funeral and say goodbye peacefully and properly. It's excruciating for me and my family. 

In July of that 2017, my Mum was called by Redfern Police, who had footage of Luke going down the cliff, almost where they had picked him up days earlier. Detective Egan closed the case in 2018, and they informed our family that there would be an inquest very soon.

On January 16th, 2018, I requested an inquest in writing, but as of today, I still haven't received a date.  The Coroner and Hospital have attempted to blame the delay on COVID-19. We deserve to know what happened between his arrest, the time in the hospital and his release and why no psychiatric assessment happened.

Luke was an amazing person and activist, journalist, law student, and handsome gay man. He could articulate a conversation with just about anyone, and he was passionate about making a difference in the world. He was smart, and charismatic, and lit up the room when he entered. Luke was the most beautiful brother anyone could ever ask for, and he deserves far more than this. He deserves a proper goodbye.

There is a suicide epidemic in Australia, with 8 people taking their life a day. Luke’s death was avoidable, and we need to ensure families don’t ever wait this long for answers again. I am also calling for wider reforms to mental health services and an overhaul of the Coroners Court in NSW.

Please sign this petition, so I can present it to the NSW Attorney General and Parliament and pressure them to give me a date for the inquest.

Please watch my video here. 

If you need help in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For further information about depression, contact beyondblue on 1300224636 or talk to your GP, local health professional or someone you trust.