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Reviewable Deaths

The Coroners Court of Victoria must investigate a category called 'reviewable deaths'.

What is a reviewable death?

A reviewable death is the death of a second child or subsequent child of a parent. A child is anyone under 18 years old. The child will have died in Victoria, or lived in Victoria but died elsewhere. 

Coroners do not investigate children who are still born.

Children who had lived their entire lives in hospital are not reviewable deaths, unless otherwise determined by a coroner.

Who is considered a parent?

Along with the biological parents, parents can include:

• step-parents
• adoptive parents
• foster parents
• guardians
• anyone who has custody or daily care and control of the child
• anyone who has the powers, responsibilities and authority that parents legally have.

Why does the court investigate reviewable deaths?

We investigate reviewable deaths to:

• find the identity of the child who died, the cause of their death and the circumstances
• assess the family's health needs
• assess, with other agencies, the needs of living siblings or any risk to other children.

Who tells the coroner about a reviewable death?

Medical practitioners and the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages must tell the Coroners Court of Victoria when they identify a reviewable death.

A member of the community, including the police, must also notify the court of a reviewable death if they have grounds to believe that the death has not already been reported.

What happens if my child's death is a reviewable death? 

Once the coroner has been notified of a reviewable death, he or she will assess whether they need to investigate further.

The Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine (VIFM) may also take part in the investigation. VIFM provides forensic and scientific services to the court.

If a coroner refers a case to VIFM to investigate, our Family and Community Support Service will contact you to let you know. The Paediatric Liaison Officer at VIFM may get in touch to assess your family’s health and support needs.

This may involve referring you to specialised health or support services, or other agencies.

For more information about reviewable deaths, contact the court on 1300 309 519.