21-year-old Indigenous woman dies in Carlton, Melbourne; family alleges police dismissed their pleas for help weeks earlier

According to ABC News (Australia), 21-year-old Jayda Allen Bonner was found dead in an apartment on Cardigan Street in Carlton, an inner-city suburb of Melbourne, in the early hours of Saturday. Police received a report shortly before 2 a.m. and arrived to find her already deceased, with homicide detectives subsequently taking over the investigation.

According to family members, Jayda was of Yagera descent, with family ties to Queensland. Her aunt, Kellie Carter-Bell, described her as having "the kindest heart" and as a "gentle soul," the kind of person "who would do anything for anyone." On Saturday, forensic detectives were seen removing evidence from the apartment building.

Police confirmed that a 60-year-old man was arrested near the crime scene and questioned, but has since been released. No charges have been filed against anyone in the case so far, and the man's identity and his relationship to the deceased have not been disclosed.

Family: Sought police help six weeks ago

Details disclosed by Carter-Bell to ABC News brought the focus back to before the incident — approximately six weeks earlier, the family had proactively contacted police to ask for help.

According to ABC News, Carter-Bell said the family was deeply concerned for Jayda's safety, but the response they received has left her unable to let it go.

"What's truly terrifying is that this system is rotten to the core — about six weeks ago, we pleaded with them for help," Carter-Bell told ABC News.

"We pleaded with them for help, but because it was us calling and not Jayda, their attitude was: 'Well, what do you want us to do about it?'"

ABC News noted that Victoria Police declined to comment on the family's account, responding only that the investigation is ongoing.

Carter-Bell said she hopes the community will see her niece's photo and learn her story.

"We are all heartbroken," she said. "We need people to know that this system is broken."

No public information about the cause of death is currently available, and the police investigation is continuing.