"That's all my family." Narelda Jacobs' plea after the death of Cassius Turvey.

Content warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are warned that the following story contains images of deceased persons. This story also deals with murder, which may be triggering for some readers.

Narelda Jacobs has shared a heartfelt plea following the death of 15-year-old Cassius Turvey.

Speaking on Studio 10 this week, the journalist and proud Whadjuk Noongar woman has called on Australians to "stand up" as vigils are held around the country.

"Cassius is my nephew," Jacobs told Studio Ten this week.

"Seeing those pictures from home...that's all my family." 

The young Noongar Yamatji boy was allegedly attacked by a 21-year-old man with a metal pole as he was walking home from school on Thursday, October 13. After suffering serious head injuries, Cassius died eight days later.

It’s believed he was attacked because he and his friends were presumed responsible for breaking windows in the neighbourhood. The man charged with his murder reportedly had ‘damage’ done to his vehicle the day before. However, there is no connection between Cassius and the incident.

Read more: Two weeks ago, 15yo Cassius was attacked while walking home from school. He died on Sunday.

Speaking about the loss on Monday, Jacobs said "around the country we are feeling this so deeply.

"I cannot tell you enough how important the vigils will be this week.

"We will be seeing people turning out in record numbers across Australia, because we want an end to violence, we want an end to the alleged racism that allegedly murdered Cassius, and we need allies to stand up."

"Australians have had enough of this, and we’re going to be standing in solidarity with Cassius’ family, who is also my family, so please turn out."

Jacobs went on to share her daughter, Jade, was asked by Cassius' mother to paint his coffin, which his friends and family members laid their hands over.

Jade and her cousin also performed a smoking ceremony to "tell any bad spirits that were lingering to leave and to welcome the good spirits in to sit with the coffin and be there for Cassius as he joins the ancestors".

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A post shared by Narelda Jacobs (@narelda_jacobs)

As vigils are held across the country, Jacobs said mainstream media needed to shine a light on tragedy. 

"Where has Channel 7 and Channel 9 been, I’m just calling them out, you need to come and you need to give a voice to the pain, you have been completely absent in this whole conversation."

On Instagram last week she wrote, “We are all feeling the loss of Cassius Turvey so deeply.

“The alleged murder of this innocent & culturally strong 15-year-old should be Australia’s watershed moment, turning our apathy into action.

“Cassius was already a leader. He could’ve grown to become the President of Australia, but alleged racism has taken this gentle Noongar warrior from boodjar.”

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A post shared by Narelda Jacobs (@narelda_jacobs)

Jacobs teamed up with Kearyn Cox to report the story for Channel 10 at the time, interviewing Cassius’ mother, and getting a statement from Linda Burney, the Minister for Indigenous Australians.

“Your loss is immeasurable, and the circumstances around it are horrific,” Burney said.

Jacobs isn't the only one who has spoken out about the devastating loss. 

Last week, The Project led with the story, where host Tony Armstrong took a moment to speak about the 15-year-old. 

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“I think the most important thing to think about with all of this is this is a kid who’s 15, he had dreams, and hopes, and aspirations,” Armstrong reflected.

“It’s not Hollywood enough for [the] Australian public and Australian media to care,” he added, referring to how it hadn't been a major story in the last week.

“People think that we’re getting better, ‘oh we’ve come so far’. Deaths in custody have gone up since Black Lives Matter all happened… there’s never action, there’s only talk.

“Ultimately, we don’t want to talk about how this is a ‘racial incident’… but ultimately, what it’s all boiled down to, the value of property has been deemed more than the life of a 15-year-old Black kid - the value of property. What kind of joint are we living in? What kind of backwater are we living in if that’s the case?” he asked.

“It’s disgusting. I’m so angry. And I know a lot of mobs are really upset as well, and my heart goes out to the family as well.”

The panel also responded to WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch’s comments that Cassius was ‘in the wrong place at the wrong time’.

“Where else are you supposed to be, other than walking home in your school kit?” Armstrong asked.

Cassius Turvey's mother reflects on the beautiful nature of her 'gentle giant.'

The 15-year-old died after being brutally attacked while walking home from his Perth school.

WARNING: This story contains distressing content and images of someone who has passed. pic.twitter.com/Sxtc5AJ6fc

— NITV (@NITV) October 26, 2022

Indigenous senator for the Greens, Lidia Thorpe, also spoke publicly on the matter.

"No Black child should fear walking home from school. No Black mother should wonder if their child will return home," she said in the Senate.

"We all must fight for a country where First Nations children like Cassius can live out their birthright," she added.

Actor Steven Oliver also spoke out on his public Facebook page.

“To all the mob who've lost loved ones over trivial, material, hateful acts, especially those currently trying to bear the weight of an unfathomable ordeal, I'm thinking of you and stand by you while feeling useless that I can't make anything change for you,” he shared.

“You shouldn't have to be facing shit like this. This shit was old over 200 years ago,” he continued.

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Brooke Blurton has recorded a special episode of her podcast, Not So PG. 

“What concerns me is that no other influencer… or people with massive platforms aren’t talking about it,” she said in an Instagram story before the episode's release. 

“It makes me feel angry and sad and disappointed that these people, like it’s not headlining for them,” she went on. 

“It doesn’t matter to them, they don’t care about it, because it’s not their experience… this is a 15-year-old kid. If this was a 15-year-old white kid, would that be making the news for you?

“If you have compassion, this matter should matter to you.”

This article was originally published on October 28, 2022 and was updated on November 2, 2022.

Feature Image: The Project.