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Saturday, January 31, 2009

Melbourne, a grisly view from a bridge: Father throws 4 year old daughter off the city's West Gate bridge

A horrific act that Australians are at a complete loss to comprehend has dominated the media for the last day: a 35 year old father threw his 4 year old daughter off Melbourne's West Gate bridge. Witnesses reported seeing the guy, an IT consultant, stop his white Toyota Landcruiser at the top of the bridge, get out of the car, and drop her over the side. His two young sons, aged 6 and 8, were in the car. And apparently he then drove off, handing himself in later on. The little girl, Darcey Freeman, was rescued from the water, and ambulance officers spent 45 minutes trying to revive her, but she died hours later of massive injuries. The safety of the bridge is now being questioned. But, while I may have lived overseas for 11 years, I can't recall anyone throwing a child off the bridge before. I imagine a man who could conceive of throwing his child from a bridge, would find some other way to rid himself of her. I could imagine such as man placing the little girl in front of his vehicle and running her over. One wonders what went on in that car that morning, and before. What was going through the man's mind. It appears the man "snapped". He'd been through a custody dispute and the decision had just been made to allow joint custody. Had the man wanted full custody? Or did he not want custody at all? Did he secretly realize he wouldn't be able to cope? One journalist reporting on the tragedy wrote about the sweltering heat of the night before, as if to partly blame the weather. Whatever the cause, we all want to know it. Thousands are covering the story, millions are mourning the loss of this little life: 'A Nation Wants Answers' are the headlines today.

6 comments:

VoteAudrey said...

At a loss for words, really; nothing grips the heart, pains the soul like the murder of innocence, infanticide.

Jen Laceda | Milk Guides said...

Being a mother of a 2-year-old, I absolutely cannot comprehend how a parent can do such a horrible act on a child! Parenthood is the best (and hardest) life journey I've had to take. It's a rollercoaster ride, this parenthood thing. Yes, you feel like you want to just snap sometimes, but one look at a child's face is all it takes to realize that you have got to get it together! This man has committed a crime, mentally ill or not.

Lara Dunston said...

Hello Miss Audrey - I totally agree with you. I think everyone in Australia is still in shock... and no real reasons have come out yet in the media... unless some investigative reporters are already on the job, people here may have to wait until the court case in May... but people desperately want answers.

Hi Jen - I'm sure you must understand more than anyone. It's just so incomprehensible isn't it? It's really something that hasn't left my mind since I heard about it. I feel for the other two children who saw the act, and the mother who sat by her daughter's hospital bed before she died. Tragic.

Thanks for stopping by. :)

Anonymous said...

That is a terrible story (obviously). I agree though that the man would have found another way regardless of the bridge itself and any safety issue.

Fly Girl said...

This is horrific. I don't understand and I can't imagine ever coming to the point of doing something so savage to my 2 children. I do have to say that from observance and experience, divorce and custody battles tend to unleash evil tendencies that may have never surfaced before. I believe that it has something to do with the powerlessness that divorce brings and often the children are the only way the parents can exert some control. The fact that the custody arrangements were changed probably had something to do with him snapping. It was the ultimate way to get back at his ex. It's senseless and criminal and I hope that he doesn't get off on an insanity plea.

Lara Dunston said...

Hi Gennaro - I totally agree with you!

Hello Fly Girl - yes, it seems to be the case doesn't it? It appears to be a moment of insanity on this guy's part but from what I've read it also seems that he was mentally unstable - they found a note he'd written to himself at home to keep it together, this is going to be the toughest period you've ever had to go through, or something to that effect. If only someone aware of his mental instability hadn't done something earlier... tragic...