Two women involved in a fatal incident at a service station will not be facing manslaughter charges, despite the tragic outcome. The case revolves around an altercation at a 7-Eleven in Caulfield, located in Melbourne’s southeast, where a customer suffered severe injuries after allegedly being attacked with scalding coffee.
Andrea Madigan and Sarah Franklin, both 51 at the time, were initially charged with reckless conduct causing serious injury following the February 8 incident. They were scheduled to appear in court last year, but those charges were dismissed on May 5, with the possibility that Victoria Police might elevate them to manslaughter charges.
The victim, whose identity has not been disclosed, succumbed to her injuries two days after the assault, and the incident was captured on the service station’s CCTV system. However, recent developments have shed light on the complexity of the case.
A woman who allegedly had coffee poured over her and was assaulted at this 7-Eleven service station in Caulfield (pictured) later died in hospital
New information reveals that forensic experts from Victoria Police were unable to ascertain the exact cause of the woman’s death. The forensic investigation, which concluded just last month, took over a year to finalize, leaving critical questions unanswered.
Daily Mail Australia can now reveal forensics experts with Victoria Police were unable to determine how the woman died.
The forensic investigation was finalised just last month – more than a year after the woman died.
A police source said the woman’s body had been riddled with serious health complications, which more than likely caused her death.
Madigan and Franklin are now both expected to be charged and prosecuted over their initial assault charges.
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 was 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.
Two women have since been charged over the alleged attack (pictured, police at the scene)
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.
