Daughter speaks out after teenage boy pleads guilty to Vyleen White murder in Queensland
Vyleen White, 70, was killed by a 16-year-old boy outside Redbank Plains Town Square shopping centre, west of Brisbane, in February 2024.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Teen pleads guilty to murder.
The teen, who is turning 18 later this year, was charged with murder and unlawful use of a motor vehicle plus three counts of stealing.
On Tuesday he pleaded guilty to all the charges in Brisbane Supreme Court.
Queensland's Liberal National government introduced new Adult Crime Adult Time laws after winning the 2024 election.
Under the new laws, juveniles can face adult sentences for more than 30 offences including attempted murder, rape, attempted rape, torture and aggravated attempted robbery.
However, the law does not apply in this case because it only came into effect in December 2024 and does not apply retrospectively.
The teenager faces a maximum of 10 years behind bars unless the court finds the offence to be particularly heinous.
White's daughter, Cindy Micallef, said she hoped the judge would determine the crime to be serious enough to fall under the new law.
'This is open to interpretation by the judge so, let's just hope he finds this situation particularly heinous, because I know the rest of Queensland does,' she told Sunrise.
'Our family certainly do.'
Micallef and her family have been vocal about reforming the state's youth crime system in the wake of their matriarch's death.
She said a lot of young repeat offenders remain in the community and are continuing to 'raise hell'.
'You could be at the shops and there will be a group of them giving someone a hiding and they just keep doing this sort of stuff,' Micallef said.
'They get put away for a couple of weeks but then they're back out again.'
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said Micallef was inspiring and the new laws were driven by her family's tragedy.
He said he would continue to strengthen youth justice laws and make changes as required.
'I spoke to (Micallef) last night, I spoke to her dad Victor this morning, they're two of the greatest Queenslanders you'll ever meet,' he told Sunrise.
'We're investing in early intervention for the first time in a long time and rehabilitation to try to turn kids around.
'Our mission is to make sure that we turn around that next cohort and make sure there are consequences for those who do continue to those kinds of crimes.'
White's family members who were in court did not audibly react to the guilty pleas on Tuesday.
'Every aspect of our lives has changed, every aspect, and it's something you can't possibly imagine,' White's daughter Julie said.
Prosecutor Chris Cook sought a pre-sentence report by November 3 and a November 12 sentencing.
The teenager will remain in custody until his next court appearances.
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