Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this story contains the name image of a person who has died.
By AIDAN KNIGHT
TRIBUTES continue to flow for late Morwell man Kaiden Morgan Johnston, whose life was senselessly taken in an act of violence on Saturday, September 27.
The GoFundMe campaign launched by the young man’s sister-in-law garnered 292 donations in it’s first week, which ensured the family could provide the best funeral, memorial and burial possible for Kaiden the following Wednesday.
The funeral was held at Kernot Hall last Wednesday (October 15), 18 days after the horrific event took him, and drew thousands of friends, family, and communities together to share in the life that was had.
All coming together to honour a young man remembered for his kindness, leadership, and deep cultural pride. There was a prominent focus not only in the words that were spoken, but on the connection the young man had with his people’s traditions and land. He was described by loved ones as “a gatherer, of things, and friends”.
At the service, Kaiden’s father, William Morgan Senior, delivered a heartfelt eulogy, telling mourners his son had always been one to “stick up for others who couldn’t stick up for themselves”, and had a bright future as a leader within his community before that was taken from him.
Mourners attending stood both solemn and powerful, with cultural ceremony and family traditions playing a central role. The service opened with a Welcome to Country, followed by songs, dances, and the sound of clapsticks and didgeridoo.
Many attendees wore black and red ribbons and carried small flags in the colours of the Aboriginal flag in his memory.
After the service, hundreds joined a procession to his burial site, where they released balloons in red, black and yellow, and laid flowers at his resting place. Family members lit a small ceremonial fire and placed branches into the flames one by one – a traditional farewell gesture led by Kaiden’s grandfather.
For the community, the funeral was not only a final goodbye, but also a call for change. Several elders and speakers urged government and police to take stronger action to address knife-related violence and youth safety in the region.
Former Latrobe City mayor Kellie O’Callaghan put out a message the day of the service, speaking on the first time she saw Kaiden perform with the Boorun Boys, during her time with council. This occurred at a ceremonial event welcoming First Nations babies, or Boorai, to traditional lands.
“I was standing with Kaiden’s mum, Sascha,” Ms O’Callaghan said.
“She was proudly pointing out her beautiful boy, Kaiden was with his brother and friends as they danced for community.
“Kaiden was proud, his family and community proud, for as they gathered together to welcome new life, new families, and acknowledge a rich and enduring culture, they held space for each other, they shared openly and wholeheartedly. Kaiden had a big, loving family, many friends and a huge life ahead of him. His death was senseless. It is for Kaiden’s family to hold and tell his story. For they will carry him in their hearts forevermore.”
Kaiden’s alleged attackers will face court early next year. Nineteen-year-old Tyson Fenton has been remanded until February 10 when he returns to court, and the unnamed 16-year-old, also charged, has allegedly been placed into Police Protection outside of Latrobe Valley, while he awaits his committal hearing on January 14.
Kaiden’s aunt, Michelle Briggs, published her own online comment in the days after the funeral, calling out the system that failed to prevent the young man’s death.
“This is not a one-off incident”, she said in a Facebook post on Thursday, October 16, alleging that the accused attackers had “terrorised our community for many years”, forcing relatives to move away from the Latrobe Valley. This was reported in the August 6 issue of the Express (Page 36, ‘Alarming rate of youth crime’).
“There was an incident at the courthouse a couple of weeks ago, which security had to break up, no police in sight,” Ms Briggs said in her public post.
“Police and our Koori Police Liaison Officer have failed and need to be held accountable, Kaiden himself told the police someone was going to die, not knowing it would be him. Enough is enough”.
While opinions vary on who is at fault for not just Kaiden’s death, but the two other young men whose lives were taken in alleged machete attacks across Victoria in September, almost all parties agree on one thing – the state government’s machete amnesty program has done nothing.
Described by some at the March for Kaiden event in the street of Morwell a fortnight ago as “a joke”, pointing out that only a small fraction of illegal knives in circulation have been seized since the amnesty began on September 1. While Victoria Police released data via the Crime Statistics Agency on September 25 that tells us more edged-weapons have come into police possession than recorded offences this year, these figures are indicative only of consociations, and not weapons handed in voluntarily. The state government announced there was 1362 machetes deposited across the state via the amnesty in the first fortnight, but has been unclear on an updated figure since. Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush announced during a restructuring press conference on October 13 that 15,000 machetes are “off the streets”, and didn’t elaborate on a breakdown of this number, but emphasised his belief in the amnesty being a worthwhile investment. All this while knife-related assaults and homicides continued to rise, currently up 20 per cent since 2022.
Victoria Police issued a statement on Friday concerning the vigil for Kaiden at Morwell Police Station, which some of the community had noticed had been removed:
“To avoid any potential impact on future judicial proceedings and to ensure the items are not damaged, the vigil has now been collected by Kaiden’s family,” the statement read.
“Our heartfelt thoughts are with Kaiden’s family, friends, and the broader community affected by this tragic incident.
“Police will continue to ensure all available support services remain in place during this difficult time.”
Latrobe Police said that as the matter is before the court, it would be inappropriate to comment further.
A new State Crime Coordination Centre is set to open by the middle of next year, featuring a high-tech hub designed to bring together information, intelligence, and operational resources. The Victoria Police restructure will also introduce a Deputy Commissioner for Prevention, Community and Partnerships, a role dedicated primarily to tackling youth crime and strengthening community safety initiatives.
Regardless of where blame is placed, the tragedy remains the same – a community has lost a young man who was seen to be a leader and role model to his peers and the next generation.
Kaiden’s potential, his compassion, and his pride in culture were qualities that inspired those around him. Now, instead of watching him cross the stage at his graduation, his parents will attend in his honour – a painful reminder of what has been lost, but also a testament to a life that will continue to be celebrated, spoken of, and remembered in every dance, every story, and every step his community takes forward in his name.
