For Seven News reporter Cassie Zervos, breaking national crime stories is all in a day’s work.

But she went above and beyond to bring Australians the news that notorious cop-killer fugitive Dezi Freeman had been shot dead this week.

The network broke the news on Monday and Cassie, 34, was first on the scene. However, she did it all while on maternity leave.

Sunrise host Natalie Barr took to her Instagram Story on Wednesday to praise Cassie’s efforts.

Sharing a photo of Cassie at the scene, Natalie wrote: ‘Australia heard the Dezi Freeman news from this reporter @cassiezervos who broke the story, while on maternity leave, handing her baby to her mum for the day while she headed to the bush to finish what she started months ago.’

Natalie had reshared a post by fellow Seven News reporter Laura Turner, who also praised Cassie for her tenacity.

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Seven News reporter Cassie Zervos went above and beyond to bring Australians the news that notorious cop-killer fugitive Dezi Freeman had been shot dead this week

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Freeman, 56, was killed by police after he was found in a shipping container near Walwa, near the NSW-Victoria border, at 8.30am on Monday

‘Hats off to Crime reporter Queen @cassiezervos. Yesterday she broke the nation-wide exclusive that cop killer Dezi Freeman had been shot dead,’ she wrote.

‘She did it while on maternity leave, handing her baby to her mum and hotfooting it to the bush to lead @7newsmelbourne @7newsaustralia coverage.’

‘She is incredible, tenacious and what’s more, humble. Her grit and dedication to our craft is an inspiration.’

Laura’s post was met with a flurry of comments commending her colleague, including Cassie, who replied with a modest: ‘Oh beautiful girl – I’m blushing! Thank you xx.’

One commenter summed up the sentiment with: ‘I was thinking – hasn’t she just had a baby?!?!? What a woman!’

Freeman, 56, was killed by police after he was found in a shipping container near Walwa, near the NSW–Victoria border, at 8.30am on Monday.

He was on the run for seven months after he shot dead two officers and injured a third while they were serving a warrant at his Porepunkah property in Victoria.

The manhunt for Freeman became one of the biggest police operations in the country, with officers scouring bushland and offering a $1million reward

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The network broke the news on Monday and Cassie, 34, was first on the scene. However, she did it all while on maternity leave

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Sunrise host Natalie Barr took to her Instagram Story on Wednesday to praise Cassie’s effort, resharing a post from Seven News colleague Laura Turner

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Cassie welcomed her first child, Lucy, with husband Paul Tatnell, in November last year

The couple, who met while working at the Herald Sun, tied the knot in Melbourne in 2021.

It comes after Cassie slammed social media users after her appearance was trolled online.

The reporter, who had been covering a ‘bizarre’ court case involving a mother who confessed to stealing a dead person’s toes to sell on the black market, was savaged online for her appearance.

The reaction on social media prompted the journalist to speak out on TikTok in the hope that others wouldn’t be criticised for their appearance while doing their jobs.

‘I believe we can be better and as human beings we can be kinder to one another,’ she said.

‘It’s 2025, we shouldn’t be commenting or focusing on how people look, it’s just not OK, it can make people feel really sad.

‘I’m human with feelings and I was left feeling pretty crappy about it.’