Family can ‘finally grieve’ after death of teen’s killer
The family of a teenage girl murdered by a doctor say it is ‘‘hard to accept’’ he will not see out his sentence after he apparently killed himself while in prison.
Venod Skantha died in a suspected suicide behind bars on Wednesday, the same day he learnt an appeal against his conviction had been rejected.
Police were called to reports of a prisoner’s death at Otago Corrections Facility, near the South Otago town of Milton, about 4pm. Police said the death was not being treated as suspicious.
Skantha had been sentenced to life in prison after stabbing to death 16-year-old Amber-rose Rush at her Dunedin home on February 3, 2018.
Amber-rose’s father, Shane Rush, said it had been a ‘‘hard, sad, emotional road’’ in the three years since her death, and it ‘‘felt like it would go on forever’’.
But he said the family could finally grieve for the loss of Amber-rose, along with that of her mother, Lisa-ann Rush, who died in a suspected suicide just months after discovering her daughter’s body at the family home.
‘‘It is hard to accept that her killer won’t have to pay the price for his crimes, but it is a relief to the family not to have to spend more of our lives being tortured with appeals and parole hearings.’’
Rush said Skantha had ‘‘paid some of it with his own life and for me, it is a sign of guilt and remorse’’.
’’We feel sorry for his parents as they have now also lost a child, and no parent should ever have to go down that road.’’
Prison director Lyndal Miles confirmed Skantha had died, and that the former doctor had learnt of his failed appeal in a phone call from his lawyer.
‘‘Conversations between prisoners and their legal advisers are privileged and Corrections was not aware of the decision.’’
It was not routine for courts to inform Corrections of decisions that did not affect the length of a prisoner’s sentence, he said.
On occasions of staff being made aware of information that could have the potential to affect a prisoner’s wellbeing, ‘‘our policy is to carry out an assessment of the person’s risk’’.