Two women who were accused of attacking a customer at a service station—an altercation that ultimately led to the customer’s death—are now expected to face manslaughter charges.
Andrea Madigan and Sarah Franklin, both 51 years old, were initially scheduled to appear in court this week on charges of reckless conduct causing serious injury. The incident occurred on February 8 at a 7-Eleven in Caulfield, located in Melbourne’s southeast.
However, Daily Mail Australia reports that these charges were dismissed on May 5. Victoria Police plans to elevate the charges against the duo to manslaughter.
A woman allegedly had boiling coffee poured over her and was assaulted at this 7-Eleven service station in Caulfield (pictured). She has since passed away in the hospital.
The victim, whose identity has not been disclosed, succumbed to her injuries just two days after the harrowing attack, which was caught on the service station’s CCTV cameras.
A police source told Daily Mail Australia homicide squad detectives took over the case upon learning of the victim’s death.
All three of the women, who each were believed to be struggling with mental illness, were described by witnesses at the time as being of ‘large build’.
The final results of an assessment of the victim’s pre-existing medical conditions by forensic doctors will likely determine when or if the women face manslaughter charges.
It is understood homicide squad detectives are likely to handover their brief of evidence to the Department of Public Prosecutions with a view of charging the women with manslaughter.
Should prosecutors deem a Supreme Court of Victoria jury could not convict on the higher charge, Victoria Police are expected to look at charging the women yet again with the original assault charges.
‘If it gets to a point where detectives couldn’t lay a manslaughter charge or similar they can reinstate those original charges,’ the source said.
‘They need to be removed now so that the accused cannot plead-up to them.’
Forensic officers are seen at the service station after the woman was allegedly assaulted
Coffee was allegedly poured on a woman who later died in hospital (stock image)
Daily Mail Australia has been told the victim had become abusive moments before she was allegedly doused in hot coffee and assaulted by Madigan and Franklin.
‘She was being racist,’ a source told Daily Mail Australia at the time.
Shop owners along Hawthorn Rd, where the 7-Eleven is positioned, claimed all three of the Caulfield women were well known to each other.
One witness described the ‘assault’ alleged against Madigan and Franklin as more like a ‘scuffle’.
Both of the alleged offenders had a clean criminal history until the deadly scuffle.
They were charged by Victoria Police detectives that night and released on bail from the watch house despite the victim’s status being listed as critical.
Those that claimed to know both of the accused described them as being ‘kind and courteous’.
‘They’re nice. They’re polite. We see them all the time. They behave, they have nice manners,’ one woman said.
Others expressed dismay at suggestions the alleged fight might have been sparked by racial slurs.
Caulfield is known for its large Jewish community, representing about half of Melbourne’s Jewish population.
‘I don’t think it (the alleged offence) had any connection to race or culture,’ a local shopkeeper said.
Recklessly causing serious injury charges in Victoria carry a maximum jail sentence of 15 years compared to 20 years for manslaughter.
Witnesses have told police a woman poured coffee over the victim and assaulted her before fleeing the scene on Hawthorn Road.
Two women have since been charged over the alleged attack (pictured, police at the scene)