Cassius Turvey death: Lidia Thorpe’s fury as Perth Indigenous schoolboy was bashed

Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe has paid tribute to a 15-year-old boy after he was allegedly brutally beaten with a metal pipe by a group of men as he walked home from school.

Noongar teenager Cassius Turvey had just walked off his Perth school bus in Middle Swan with three friends on Oct. 13 when the children were reportedly approached by a group of men in a ute and told them to ‘run’.

The three men overtook Cassius before the 15-year-old was reportedly beaten with a metal pole, causing him serious injuries that proved fatal on October 23.

Senator Thorpe on Wednesday used her parliamentary privilege in the Senate to draw attention to his tragic death and the disturbing trend of alleged racial violence against Indigenous Australians.

Noongar teen Cassius Turvey (pictured in hospital) died on Oct. 23 after a supposedly viscous beating with a metal pole left him with fatal injuries

“No black child should be afraid to walk home from school. No black mother should be wondering if their child will return home,” she said.

“We must all fight for a country where First Nations children like Cassius can live up to their birthright.”

Police say there were three men in the black Ford Ranger that pulled up next to Cassius and his friends.

The men reportedly yelled racist remarks at the group of teens, accusing them of breaking their car windows before getting out, allegedly armed with a machete and metal pipe, and telling the schoolchildren to “run.”

Police have since said the vehicle was damaged a day before the alleged attack.

Cassius’ friends desperately ran and hid in the grounds of a nearby TAFE while he was allegedly caught and brutally beaten, suffered a serious head injury.

Cassius (above) was walking home with a group of three friends when he was allegedly attacked and beaten with a metal stake by a group of three men

Cassius was initially released from hospital on October 18 after spending five days in care, but soon returned after a seizure and two strokes just hours after he left.

After multiple operations, Cassius died 10 days after the alleged attack on October 23.

Jack Steven James Brearley, 21, is the only person charged so far in the alleged murder of Cassius.

Cassius’ devastated mother, Mechelle Turvey, said her son was able to identify the two other alleged attackers from photos the night after his alleged assault, which she submitted to police.

She said her terrified son overheard the men allegedly attacking another Indigenous student on crutches as he lay in the street.

Cassius (above) died on October 23 after serious head injury, a seizure and two strokes as a result of an alleged attack on October 13

“Just minutes after Cassius was attacked, while he was trying to call his family to warn us what had happened, he heard another child screaming and that was on the next street,” she said.

WA police said they are still investigating reports that the group shouted racist remarks during the alleged attack.

Commissioner Col Blanch urged people not to draw any conclusions about the motivation behind the attack until police present their findings.

“We are not operating on the principles of racism or motivation at the moment,” he told Perths radio station 6PR on Wednesday.

It could be a case of wrong identity, it could be a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“At this stage, Cassius appears to be an innocent victim of a violent attack.

“I urge community members to refrain from unfounded speculation about this tragic death of a young boy who was a much-loved family member and friend.”

Cassius (above) told his mother that he heard the group of men allegedly beating him and attacking another native child on crutches just minutes after they allegedly left him on the street

Brearley is due to appear before Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court on Nov. 9.

The death of young Cassius was followed by a wave of frustration and grief on social media that Senator Thorpe addressed on Wednesday.

“To Cassius’ friends, family and community, I’m sorry. To Blak Australia, I’m sorry,” she said.

“I’m sorry we’re back here with a new justice hashtag.”

A fundraiser to raise money for Cassius’ bereaved family, as well as funeral, medical and legal expenses has raised more than $260,000.

Anyone with relevant information about footage of the incident is requested to contact Crime Stoppers.