Woman Found Dead in Victoria Home Days After Another Mother Killed in NSW

A 49-year-old woman was found dead inside her home in Cobram, Victoria on Tuesday, just days after another young mother was killed in New South Wales. The woman, identified as Emma Bates, had suffered injuries to her upper body and face. A 39-year-old Cobram man, John Torney, who was known to the victim, has been arrested and charged in connection with her death.

According to police, Bates and Torney were neighbors who had recently begun dating. Torney has a violent criminal history, including being acquitted of murdering a toddler in 2015. Homicide detectives are investigating the exact circumstances around Bates' death. The man is expected to appear in court on Friday on charges of intentionally causing injury, recklessly causing injury, common law assault, aggravated assault of a female, and unlawful assault.

This tragedy comes just days after 28-year-old mother Molly Ticehurst was found dead in her home in Forbes, New South Wales. Ticehurst's former partner, Daniel Billings, had been released on bail despite being charged with sexual assault and stalking against Ticehurst. In response, the NSW government is seeking urgent advice on whether to overhaul the state's bail laws.

Why this matters: The deaths of Emma Bates and Molly Ticehurst are part of a broader epidemic of violence against women in Australia, with 26 women killed so far in 2024. The tragedies have sparked calls for action to end violence against women and prompted reviews of bail laws related to domestic violence cases.

Women's Minister Katy Gallagher called the prevalence of violence against women a national crisis, stating that the problem is deeper than finding more resources and funding for support services. "Men need to play a greater role in keeping women safe," she said. Rallies are planned across Australia to address the issue.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan expressed concern over the incident, stating that "too many women have lost their lives in 2024" and that governments need to look at strengthening the legal system and supports for women. "More work needs to be done to strengthen support from state, territory and federal governments to address this problem," she said. "Every individual has a role to play in calling out the disrespect of women."

Key Takeaways

• Woman, Emma Bates, found dead in Cobram, Victoria; neighbor John Torney charged.
• Tragedy comes days after another young mother, Molly Ticehurst, killed in NSW.
• Torney has violent criminal history, including acquittal for toddler's murder in 2015.
• Calls for action to end violence against women, with 26 killed in Australia in 2024.
• Governments urged to strengthen legal system and support for women to address crisis.