A 17-year-old girl named Mia under state care in Victoria, Australia, was found dead alongside her boyfriend, Marcus, aged 26, at a squat house in Ballarat on June 22. The death is believed to be due to carbon monoxide poisoning from a grill or barbecue in the room and is now under investigation by police and the coroner. Two days before her death, Mia was abruptly removed from her bed at Berry Street care facility with less than a day's notice. Her grandmother Michelle claims this incident highlights systemic neglect within state-run care institutions. The article also mentions that while in care, Mia had a complex mental health history, went missing 94 times, and suffered physical abuse and drug overdoses alongside Marcus.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-15,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning score -0.35 for article 10639 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-09-15
- See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source
A 17-year-old Victorian girl under state care has been found dead alongside her boyfriend, prompting investigations by police and the coroner.
asserted
girl → see → police
The bodies of 17-year-old 'Mia' and her 26-year-old boyfriend, 'Marcus', were found in what was described as a 'squat house' in Ballarat on June 22.
asserted
what → find → June
They were surrounded by drug paraphernalia, the ABC reports.
asserted
ABC → surround → paraphernalia
Two days earlier, Mia's bed at her residential care facility Berry Street was allegedly closed with less than a day's notice.
uncertain
bed → close → notice
Mia, who has been in residential care since she was 14, was subject to care by secretary order, meaning the state government retained total legal guardianship of her.
asserted
government → mean → her
Her grandmother Michelle is now calling on authorities to explain.
asserted
Michelle → call → authorities
'Why would they shut her bed?' Michelle said.
asserted
Michelle → shut → bed
'She didn't die from drug use, she died from neglect.
asserted
she → die → neglect
'In state care, this has been allowed to happen.
asserted
this → allow → care
She was found dead in a squat house.
asserted
She → find → house
The body of Mia, 17, was found in a 'squat house' after her care home shut her bed
The vulnerable teen, who was under state care, was living in Ballarat in Victoria's west
Mia's death, which is subject to a coronial inquest, is believed to have occurred due to carbon monoxide poisoning from a barbecue or grill in the room.
asserted
which → find → room
During a recent hearing, the coroner's court heard that while under the care of the state, Mia had gone missing 94 times, had a 'complex mental health history', and took drugs like GHB and methylamphetamine.
asserted
Mia → hear → GHB
She was also in an allegedly physical abusive relationship with Marcus, with the couple also taking drugs together where Mia suffered multiple overdoses.
uncertain
Mia → take → overdoses
Michelle said Mia's life started to derail when an older man began targeting her when she was 14, 'beating her black and blue.'
Mia had been raised by Michelle due to her own mother's drug dependence and being in an abusive relationship, according to the ABC.
A week before her death, Mia's grandmother begged her to come home.
'I would speak to her all night on the phone begging her to come back,' Michelle said.
uncertain
Michelle → say → her
Victoria Police is expected to present its findings to the court in November.
asserted
Police → expect → November
A coroner has heard that while under the care of the state, Mia had gone missing 94 times, had a 'complex mental health history' and took drugs
The news comes months after it was revealed children in residential care homes across Victoria were openly using drugs, including ice, with some staff so concerned that they reported experiencing second-hand side effects.
In an email to staff on December 2024, Berry Street wrote that some staff at three of their facilities, including Ballarat East, were worried they were drug-affected at work due to the second-hand exposure.
asserted
they → hear → exposure
'Some staff reporting... their health [is being affected] by the substances, such as headaches and stress, within three homes so far,' an email from a senior manager to staff reads.
'We will conduct surface swab testing to inform us if any substances are identified to assess any substance exposure risks to our staff and young people in our care.'
When contacted by the Daily Mail on Monday, a Berry Street spokesperson said they were unable to comment on the matter, citing the coronial inquest.
asserted
they → report → inquest
'Berry Street acknowledges that the death of any young person is a tragic loss for their family, friends and the broader community,' the spokesperson added.
asserted
spokesperson → acknowledge → family
A spokesperson for Victoria's Department of Families, Fairness and Housing told the Daily Mail: 'The death of any child is tragic.
asserted
death → tell → child
The department is not able to comment.'
asserted
department → comment → ?
*The names have been changed for legal reasons.
asserted
names → change → reasons
If this story affected you, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 and Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800.
asserted
story → affect → 800
The Aporia
