Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
ABC News
ABC News
National
Ashleigh Davis and Courtney Withers

Family pay emotional tribute to pregnant woman Diane Miller who died after Karawara car park assault

A pregnant woman who died after being struck in the head by a piece of concrete in a Perth shopping centre car park is being remembered by her family as funny, happy and full of attitude.

WARNING: This story contains the image and name of an Indigenous person who has died.

Diane Miller, 30, passed away in hospital in the early hours of Friday morning after the violent attack on Tuesday evening.

The family has given the ABC permission to use a photo of Ms Miller. 

Police said she was sitting in her car at Waterford Shopping Centre in Karawara, south of Perth, when the lump of concrete was hurled through the open passenger window, striking her head and causing her to go into cardiac arrest.

Passers-by spent 20 minutes trying to resuscitate Ms Miller in the car park, before St John Ambulance took her to Royal Perth Hospital.

About 25 family members gathered outside the shopping centre on Friday afternoon.

Family 'sore' after tragedy

Ms Miller's partner, Philip Edmonds, said he was still in shock.

"I'm still struggling," he said.

"We're too sore to do anything at the moment."

He described the loss of his partner as devastating.

"She had a wicked attitude, I loved her. We all loved her as one and it's brought us together. That's my baby girl and that was my baby inside," he said.

"She was one good girl. I loved her with all my love. I will still love her until the day I die."

"We're all one mob and I can't say anything more. It's too hard. Thank you very much."

Ms Miller's nieces Marika, Keyanna, and Brianna said they would remember her as a ray of sunshine.

"We love our aunty for the world, she was a funny person. You could never be sad around her – she made everyone happy," said Marika.

"She'd bring joy to everyone."

"She was funny, happy, and she had an attitude all the time."

Marika was in the car with her aunt when the concrete missile was thrown. 

Teenager charged

A 17-year-old boy has been charged with grievous bodily harm in relation to the incident.

He made a brief appearance at Perth Children's Court this week before being remanded in custody until his next appearance on December 9.

Police said the boy was one of about 15 young people who had gone to the shopping centre "looking for trouble".

Major Crime detectives were seen near Waterford Plaza on Thursday, as the Homicide Squad took carriage of the investigation.

Uncle pleads for calm

Ms Miller's uncle, Primus Hansen, said he did not want any more violence.

"It's a sad situation that we are all here for today and it should have never happened to anybody," he said.

"No repercussions to anyone else, we already lost two people out of it, and we don't want another one.

"Let police handle it, let them do their job."

Senator calls for change

WA Greens Senator and Yamatji-Noongar Woman Dorinda Cox said Ms Miller's death was taking an emotional toll on the Indigenous community.

"The fact that this violent tragedy happened so close to Cassius Turvey's death is extremely upsetting," Ms Cox said.

Cassius Turvey, 15, died after being struck on the face with a pole allegedly wielded by Jack Steven James Brearley as he was walking with friends after school on October 13. 

Ms Cox also acknowledged the timing of Ms Miller's death, which happened during the state government's '16 Days in WA' campaign to stop violence against women.

"Such a brutal attack occurring in the middle of the '16 Days in WA' is highly distressing," the Senator said.

"The reason the '16 Days of Activism' campaign exists is to stop the high rates of gendered violence."

The campaign runs from November 25 to December 10 .

Ms Cox said the "unacceptable deaths of First Nations women" is the reason she initiated an Inquiry into Missing and Murdered First Nations Women and Children in the Senate.

"I encourage family members who have been through similar tragedies to please make a submission to the Inquiry," Ms Cox said.

"We want to hear from you, it's only through sharing our grief and loss that we can find solutions and stop this senseless loss of life."

Submissions for the inquiry close on December 12.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.