Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Will Dalton-Brown’s mother Lee Dalton:
I thank the court for the opportunity to talk about my only son.
He was a young man with everything before him and was about to go to university as he had qualified to study science.
In so many ways he was my life.
Since his death I am empty and I go to bed thinking about him and wake up thinking about him.
He was full of life and had a great capacity to make friends and now he’s been taken from me.
I think about him every moment of every day.
I know I am not permitted to comment on the police investigation.
But I would like to say I am very sad at the way the matter has been dealt with.
Will Dalton-Brown’s father Gerry Brown:
I wrote a statement for this inquiry about what I thought, but I am not permitted to give it.
I laid blame on a number of people and institutions and I am told these are not appropriate.
In this victim’s family statement I am honouring the victim.
I honour my son William and his friend Eliza in death as in life.
I am angry that no-one has been convicted of anything relating to the death of these two young people.
No-one has been charged and where is the justice?
What is the law for and where are the people who are responsible for upholding the law?
Now it appears it is not going to happen.
I wonder how it would be if my son William was driving that car.
I am left with anger and grief.
Eliza Wannan’s father Andrew Wannan:
I would like to thank the court for the opportunity to speak on behalf of Eliza and I struggle to put her character and personality into words.
I wish I could just go back to being her father.
Our family life was perfect - she was going to university and her brother Nick was heading into the Higher School Certificate.
Instead of driving her to Wollongong where she was going to university we were organising her funeral.
The inquest has assisted somehow, but there have been limitations with the investigation.
I did go back to view the scene without all the carnage of that night and seeing the swag here (viewed at the inquest on Monday) has strangely helped put some of my demons to rest.
This has had the most overwhelming effects on many aspects of our health.
No parent should have to experience the last minutes of their child’s life and I hope Rhys Colefax understands.
Eliza loved everything French and loved Paris and had the opportunity to go there four times in her life.
New York was next on her bucket list.
Her friends 21st birthdays have come and I feel cheated.
But we don’t want pity.
Statement of Katrina Wannan:
When I saw her walk down the path that day it was the last time I would see her smiling again.
I can still see her heading for the car wearing her sundress - she turned and her ponytail flicked.
Why did I let her go and not keep her safe - she was a teenager and we were safety conscious and would always come and get her from parties.
Had the Christophersons properly supervised that party I wouldn’t be making this statement today about my beautiful Eliza and we would simply be back as a family.
We try to get through as best we can.
I go past her bedroom which I still keep warm now and say ‘Hi Eliza’ - we’ve kept her bedroom as it was.
We were always messaging and emailing each other - sometimes up to 20 times a day.
On Wednesday nights she and I would lie on her bed while she would decide what she was wearing to go out.
She always looked fabulous and even now I still find myself shopping for her.
I remember the way she danced around the house getting ready for work and her incredible smile.
She talked about getting married one day and the names she would choose for her children.
Now Nick no longer has a sister to chat to and watch scary movies with or to cook with and argue about ridiculous things.
Nick’s life was turned upside down too and he’s struggling.
I miss her so much it hurts.
We bought our children up to know there were consequences for their actions.