A 17-year-old girl in state care in Victoria, Australia, referred to as "Mia," was found dead alongside her 26-year-old boyfriend, "Marcus," in a squat house in Ballarat, days after her bed at a residential care facility was allegedly closed with less than a day's notice. The case has prompted a police investigation and a coronial inquest, and has renewed scrutiny of Victoria's residential care system after her grandmother accused authorities of neglect, asking why the teenager's placement was withdrawn so abruptly.

The pair were discovered on 22 June surrounded by drug paraphernalia, with the deaths believed to be caused by carbon monoxide poisoning from a barbecue or grill in the room. The coroner's court heard Mia, in state care since age 14, had gone missing 94 times, had a complex mental health history, used drugs including GHB and methylamphetamine, and was allegedly in a physically abusive relationship with her boyfriend. Her grandmother said she had begged Mia to come home in the week before her death. Berry Street, the care provider, said it could not comment given the ongoing inquest, while Victoria Police is expected to present its findings to the court in November.