The South Kargoorlie house belonging to the man charged with the death of 14-year-old Aboriginal boy Elijah Doughty has been burned down.
The 55-year-old man was renting and living in the house. It was set on fire at around 6:30pm on Thursday night.
A spokesperson for WA Police confirmed that emergency services were called to a fire at a house on Watts Close in South Kargoorlie, and that the entire house and all its contents – valued at around $250,000 – was completely destroyed.
They also confirmed that the fire was being treated as suspicious.
The fire was first reported by local Aboriginal radio station Tjuma Pulka 96.3 FM, who have posted reports and images of the house fire to Facebook.
The station also reported that while the fire was burning, three cars drove through an Aboriginal site dedicated to the mourning of Elijah Doughty. The cars were allegedly menacing Aboriginal community members.
There has been deep unrest in Kargoorlie ever since Doughty’s death, with peaceful protests from both sides turning violent and aggressive. During one major protest, 300 people threw bottles and rocks at police, damaging five police cars and one local business. Seven people were later charged.
A woman claiming to be Doughty’s cousin was pictured standing in front of a line of police, protecting them from violent behaviour:
Doughty passed away more than two weeks ago, after allegedly being hit by a man in a ute, while he was riding a stolen scooter that the man reportedly had connections with.
The man has been charged with manslaughter, and has had his name suppressed for his own safety.
We will update this story as more information arises.
Source: ABC.
Photo: Supplied.
