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View Full Version : Man throws 5 year old daughter off a 60m high bridge


joveski
01-29-2009, 07:24 PM
there are some stupid people around and here's the latest one that's been talked about in the country. its the 2nd biggest bridge after the sydney harbour one... and it happened during peak hour:

http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,,24983237-5008620,00.html

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,24982814-1243,00.html



A NOTE in the home of a man accused of murdering his young daughter by throwing her off Melbourne's West Gate Bridge spoke of "keeping a clear head".

"You have a big fight on your hands and by no stretch of the imagination will it be easy," says the partly legible note on the TV in the Hawthorn home of Arthur Phillip Freeman, 35.

Freeman was arrested after Darcey Iris Freeman, 4, was pronounced dead in a tragedy that left the nation in shock, the Herald Sun reports.

Doctors and paramedics fought to save the little girl but she died from massive internal injuries about four hours after she was pulled from the river by water police.

It is alleged she plunged nearly 60m from the arms of a father who was said to be devoted to his children.

Freeman was too mentally disturbed to appear in court, which was told he was on suicide watch.

The Hawthorn IT consultant was remanded in custody until May 21 on a charge of murder.

A shocked Victorian Premier John Brumby said he "just shuddered" when he heard about the tragedy.

Freeman and his wife Peta separated in March 2007.

He was due to deliver his children to school and creche yesterday morning and when they did not arrive his wife raised the alarm.

The day of tragedy began about 9.10am when a white 2004 Toyota Land Cruiser allegedly stopped on the inbound side of the West Gate in peak-hour traffic.

Horrified motorists who saw a girl dropped over the edge stopped their cars and frantically scanned the river below.

Darcey was pulled unconscious from the water close to the western bank of the river.

Paramedics spent about 50 minutes resuscitating her before she was flown to the Royal Children's Hospital in a critical condition.

About an hour later Freeman was detained after he was seen pacing up and down in a distressed state in the foyer at the Commonwealth Law Courts building in the city.

He had his two sons, Benjamin, 6, and Jack, 2, trailing behind him. Worried security staff called paramedics and police when he did not respond to their questions.

At one point he approached security staff and asked: "Can you take my kids for me?"

Freeman offered no resistance when he was arrested at the court building.

A white Land Cruiser was found parked nearby. A child booster seat was in the back seat, with children's toys and clothing.

One of the little girl's maternal uncles last night said from Perth that the family was too distressed to comment.

Darcey was pronounced dead at 1.35pm with her distraught mother at her bedside.

In Melbourne Magistrate's Court, Magistrate Lance Martin was told the accused had been deemed mentally unfit to be interviewed by detectives.

Acting Detective Sergeant Damian Jackson, of the homicide squad, told the court a forensic medical officer examined Freeman after his arrest.

"He is in an acute psychiatric state," Sgt Jackson said.

A solicitor for Freeman said the father of three appeared to be devoted to his children.

"He was very committed to his children," she said.

Freeman and his wife are registered as the joint shareholders of a company called BDJ Management Pty Ltd – named using the first initials of their children.

At Freeman's rented home yesterday, well-loved bikes, two trampolines and a rickety home-made swing sat abandoned in the back yard.

Freeman's neighbours said they rarely saw him or were invited inside his spartan, two-storey house.

His bachelor-like decorating skills stretched to tacking finger-paintings to the wall, and leaving untidy piles of clothes, toys and DVDs on the floor.

Nightingale
01-30-2009, 12:22 AM
How tragic. Really, it's so hard to ever understand these kinds of things that people do to their children.
We have been reading about a mother and father that beat their three year old daughter to death.
The father admitted that the baby kept holding up her tiny hands to defend herself and saying "I love you mommy".
I understand about mental illness...maybe there was no connection with reality when they did such cruel acts to their children. It's hard to say. I guess it will take something greater and wiser than us to understand or judge their actions...it's truly beyond my scope of reasoning.

charlene
01-30-2009, 12:38 AM
We've had both stories on the news here..the father in Australia had to have been so mentally unstable! How sad and tragic for everyone involved.
The other case seems to be just a case of pure evil. They abused that child for months.

joveski
01-30-2009, 05:14 AM
the thing is, who'd toss a 4 or 5 year old girl of this bridge:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/42/100300685_64d04a27e4.jpg

charlene
01-30-2009, 08:52 AM
Well nobody in their right mind would toss anybody off any bridge.It's very sad. But unfortunately it has happened before and it will happen again. It's hard to comprehend.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090130.weconocide30/BNStory/International/?cid=al_gam_nletter_newsUp

jj
01-30-2009, 01:22 PM
.

The father admitted that the baby kept holding up her tiny hands to defend herself and saying "I love you mommy".

that bridge story is very sad...the financial pressures and resulting actions are hard to imagine but somewhat comprehendable...so many stories lately

reminds me of the fellow dropping the little girl onto the very busy highway401 a few years back....i think that was an ex/vengeance motive

i didn't read about the 'beating' story you mention, char...reading a quote or actions of defenselessness make any heart wilt

i find this story/woman/motive very pathetic..."mommy, don't":(

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/579685

RM
01-30-2009, 01:34 PM
It's amazing how such stories have become somewhat commonplace (here in the US, we have the high profile Caylee Anthony circus).

Perhaps Bruce Cockburn was right when he penned :

"The trouble with normal is it always get worse".

Auburn Annie
01-30-2009, 03:34 PM
Alas, there are a lot of people who have no business having anything to do with children. And it seems like every other day there's another story about a "family annihilator" who kills his whole family (because how can they survive without him in this awful world?) and then himself. A lot of it today follows economic stress - layoffs, losing homes and sources of financial support, unpayable medical bills, etc. Never will I understand mistreatment of children. I understand losing your cool when your beloved offspring clings to you repeating "mommy,mommy,mommy,mommy" - Sinbad has a screamingly funny routine on how many times a child can say that (12) before Momma rears up like the wrath of God - but this is an entirely different kettle of fish.

charlene
01-30-2009, 04:08 PM
While it's true that there are many out there who should have taken to raising chickens rather than humans it must be said that mental illness and it's horrible ramifications can rear their ugly heads and consequences at any time in a persons life.
My daughter and I watch "Family Guy".. I love Stewie and he has a routine wherein he drives his mother to distraction. And Lisa loves to get me with her version!

YouTube - Family Guy - Lois Mom Mum Mommy

Nightingale
01-31-2009, 12:52 AM
That is some horrific story, jj. None of us can imagine it...we aren't evil or insane so we have no way of connecting with what that woman was thinking.
Thank goodness for that!

I find it especially upsetting when a woman allows her boyfriend to mistreat her children, or does so herself at his request. It just gets to me.

Char, that video is hilarious...lol.

jj
02-01-2009, 09:59 AM
rm, nice one...bruce lived right in this neck of the woods for some time and is one heck of a player...and composer as i'm sure you're well aware...i thought man's goal was to raise the bar when it came to what the new normal was going to be for each generation...that's only true when it comes to one's ability to gather electronic gadgets, i suppose

yeah, annie, some folks shouldn't even be allowed to have pets

nightengale, the more i learn about the NS mother (her ex and new bf), the more i realize the wee teen probably had a pretty lousy 12 year existence throughout

jove, sorry to highjack the thread...i imagine the funeral for the wee gal will be any day and will have many paying tribute ...poor thing

char, that toon is what this thread needed: ) is that the very truth or what, lol ...i dont watch that one or some of the other common ones folks refer to (king of the hill, beavis butthead, etc) but maybe i should give em a try

charlene
02-01-2009, 12:28 PM
I don't watch the other shows you mentioned ut Family Guy makes me laff like a loon and Stewie cracks me up just thinking of him and his crazy little things he says.
mum, mom, momma, lois, mummy, mummy..ohgawd Lisa does it at 21 !!
lol
she gets me every time !
We're thinking of buying the DVD package of all seasons..We watch re-runs on Comedy network too.
I also love Stewart on the old MadTV show..(he looks like Casey on Mr. DressUp!!! ..but Ernie'd never allow Stewart's sort of antics-LOL)

Shutup and Deal, I'm Losin'
02-02-2009, 08:43 PM
May God have mercy on that man's soul, because no one else will. :mad:

I don't watch the other shows you mentioned ut Family Guy makes me laff like a loon and Stewie cracks me up just thinking of him and his crazy little things he says.
mum, mom, momma, lois, mummy, mummy..ohgawd Lisa does it at 21 !!
lol
she gets me every time !
We're thinking of buying the DVD package of all seasons..We watch re-runs on Comedy network too.
I also love Stewart on the old MadTV show..(he looks like Casey on Mr. DressUp!!! ..but Ernie'd never allow Stewart's sort of antics-LOL)

I have all 5 seasons on DVD as well. I've also taken a liking to South Park (a bit more vulgar than Family Guy, but just as funny).

timetraveler
02-03-2009, 11:26 PM
I know that children can drive a person absolutely mad at times, but what happened to those two angels, as they now truly are & tragically so, happened at the hannds that, as best as I can see it, were not of sound mind. And as for the babe in Australia, one can only wonder just what's going on in the minds of the surviving children. God be with them all.