Dying woman drives herself to cafe after stab attack
A social worker who was fatally injured in Rockingham yesterday managed to drive herself to a nearby cafe before she died from her wounds.
The woman, in her 30s, had been visiting a client at a nearby unit complex where she was stabbed. It is believed her throat was slashed. It is understood the woman worked for a non-government agency funded by the State government.
She managed to drive 500m to a Dome cafe on Kent Street but her injuries were too severe. Staff did what they could. An ambulance was called at 5.57pm and arrived 16 minutes later. She was pronounced dead at Fiona Stanley Hospital.
Neighbours in the apartment complex say they heard nothing until police arrived minutes later to arrest a male suspect. He has not been charged.
“Police cars running around everywhere, then there was an awful lot of loud banging when they were smashing the door in,” neighbour Ross Smith said.
Dome says counselling has been arranged for their staff after what they describe as a “traumatic incident”. The Rockingham cafe was closed today at the request of police. It will open again on Tuesday.
Another former support worker said there should always be two people in attendance but funds don’t allow for this.
Workers can refuse a visit.
But one union representing aged-care and disability support workers says more safeguards are needed
“Whether it’s people visiting in pairs, whether it’s more inspections prior to this, leaving it up to the gut instinct of a worker making a split second decision whether to go in or not is a real problem,” United Voice secretary Carolyn Smith said.
This article originally appeared on The West Australian.
