For seven years, Alison Kirkness has fought to bring her daughter Kirra McLoughlin’s killer to justice.
From the moment she saw her daughter brain-dead in a hospital bed, she vowed to find out what had happened.
“I promised her that I would make sure her children were taken care of. And that I would get the bastard who did this to her,” said Alison.
In this update to the Beenham Valley Road programs broadcast last year, Australian Story reveals more about Kirra’s killer and interviews the forensic physician whose inquest evidence helped solve the mystery of her final hours.
Kirra’s last conscious moments were spent with her boyfriend, who has over 70 convictions for domestic violence-related offending, including towards Kirra.
Despite this history, the boyfriend told police and emergency services that she had suffered a pharmaceutical drug overdose.
Alison Kirkness has always believed her daughter was killed by her boyfriend. She teamed up with renowned Sunshine Coast lawyer Peter Boyce and policeman-turned-podcaster Jamie Pultz to reinvestigate the case.
Together, the trio unearthed new information and lobbied for a coronial inquest. Now, their work has been vindicated by a coroner’s findings.
“Since the inquest, I’m a different person,” says Alison. “It’s given me back my life… It’s redemption.”
Producer: Mayeta Clark