Father Testifies: Coffin Threat in Adelaide Girl's Tragic Death

A mother accused of the manslaughter of her 15-year-old daughter allegedly showed her pictures of coffins and told her she would "end up dead" if she kept stealing food, a court has heard. Warning: This story includes references to child abuse and self-harm, which may be distressing to readers. Jenni Gaye Wilmott, 51, is standing trial in South Australia's Supreme Court after pleading not guilty to the manslaughter and criminal neglect of 15-year-old Jasmine, who took her own life in October 2018. Earlier today, Jasmine's father told the court that on one occasion, he witnessed Ms Wilmott showing Jasmine photos of coffins. "Jenni was saying that, 'If you steal food … you're going to end up dead, and you're going to end up in a coffin. Pick a coffin,'" he said. Jasmine's father also told the court that Ms Wilmott would allegedly tell Jasmine to excessively exercise if she misbehaved. "She would be told to do running on the spot, star jumps. Especially if she'd done something that was naughty," he said. "She would be told to keep doing it … until she couldn't do it anymore, fall down. Then get told to get back up again." The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is not accused of any wrongdoing. He left the family home in 2013, which predates the time frame of Ms Wilmott's charges. Neighbour heard yelling The court previously heard evidence from a neighbour who allegedly heard yelling from one of the houses Ms Wilmott lived in with Jasmine. The woman told the court that on one occasion she heard a "child screaming, crying" and "a woman's voice yelling at the child to hang [the washing] faster". The neighbour said the child had a "small, thin build", "dark hair" and appeared to be of Asian descent. "She was saying, 'I'm trying, I'm trying,'" the neighbour told the court. "It got louder and louder, and the child became more and more distressed, which made me ring [a] helpline." The woman said her call went unanswered. She did not specify which helpline she had called. The trial before Justice Sandi McDonald continues.