Daily News Thread

[costargh]

This thread is for if you see a news article which you wish to bring to the attention of VN members. This can be used instead of just making new threads everytime. Try use my format below:

[b][size=14pt][u]Murder charge: girl 'thrown' from West Gate Bridge[/u][/size][/b]
January 29, 2009 - 2:20PM
(Image removed from quote.)

A man has been charged with murder following the death of a young girl who was allegedly thrown from a 58-metre high section of the West Gate Bridge into the Yarra River.

Man charged with murder after allegedly throwing his daughter from the West Gate Bridge.

The 36-year-old man, from Melbourne's eastern suburbs, will face Melbourne Magistrates Court this afternoon on a single count of murder, police said.

The four-year-old girl died at 1.35 this afternoon in the Royal Children's Hospital, where she was flown after being rescued from the river beneath the bridge about 9.15am.

Homicide squad Detective Inspector Steve Clark said the alleged murder occurred at 9.10am - peak travel time - on the city-bound side of the bridge, close to the top.

It took place so quickly "no-one had the opportunity to intervene''.

"He's got straight out of the car and taken the young girl and walked to the edge of the bridge, so that would have happened in a matter of seconds," Detective Inspector Clark said.

"Fortunately, the water police were here within 10 minutes so she was given medical attention fairly quickly.

'Dreadful'

"It's a dreadful set of circumstances and often you think you've seen it all and you haven't.''

A man believed to be the father of the girl was arrested outside the Commonwealth Law Courts building at the corner of La Trobe and William streets about 10.30am.

A caller to Radio 3AW said he saw four or five police, including one with his gun drawn, surround a man on the ground outside the court building.

The Age believes he had gone with his two other children to the building, which houses the Family, Federal and Federal Magistrates courts.

Police and paramedics were called to the courts building after staff noticed the man's "distressed state".

A member of the court's staff said the man was crying and looked like "he'd had enough".

He had two other children, aged six and two, with him and witnesses said he begged security guards to "take my kids".

Shaking uncontrollably

One of the witnesses said the man was shaking uncontrollably and looked like he was "about to have a nervous breakdown''.

The man was seen to approach court security guards and ask them: "Can you take my kids for me?"

About half-an-hour later, the couple saw the arrival of a woman they believed to be the mother of the two boys, who subsequently took them away.

Another witness saw four police officers, two of them holding evidence bags, lead the handcuffed man to a waiting divisional van.

The man, who she described as balding, was "shaking violently".

A court source said a case involving the family was heard in the Federal Magistrates Court earlier this week, when it is believed an agreement was reached on shared custody of the children.

A white Toyota Landcruiser, believed to be owned by the man, was parked outside the court building this morning.

Children's toys and clothing could be seen in the back of the vehicle. The Age understands it has been seized by police and will be analysed by investigators.

50 frantic minutes

Witnesses have told police a man driving in the inbound lane of the West Gate Freeway pulled up near the top of the
bridge and threw the child into the water below.

The girl was pulled from the water close to the western bank of the river on the northern side of the bridge about 9.15am.

Paramedics spent about 50 minutes resuscitating her before she was airlifted to hospital.

Ambulance Victoria paramedic team manager Trevor Weston, who was involved in the rescue, said it had not been easy.

"Anything that involves children takes its toll on paramedics," he said.

"Fortunately it's not a very regular occurrence but when it does (happen) it really does hit home.''

Mr Weston said it was not clear how long the little girl, who he said had mainly internal injuries, had been in the water.

This is one of the most depressing stories I've ever read

[kurrymuncher]

That guy is twisted

[bridgethuss]

i am lost for words, that is such a terrible, twisted thing to do.

[TrueLight]

that was so fucked up... he must have serious issues

[dior1]

that was so fucked up... he must have serious issues

this.

it's just horrible!

[hard]

FUCK IF I WAS THERE, GOD HELP ME I WOULD'VE LITERALLY THROWN HIM OFF THE BRIDGE! FUCKKKKK THIS IS BSSSS!! feel sorry for the girl though. r.i.p

[Glockmeister]

When I first heard that, I actually didn't believe it. Can't believe someone could be that callous

[bubble sunglasses]

  That's a truly terrible thing to do. I remember being scared of falling off the edge of a ferry at that age. However...I'd need to know about the state the man was in before judging him. Be interested to hear Jessie's view.

[cns1511]

What this guy did was ethically wrong in every way IMO.
It's most likely that he was afraid he was going to lose his wife, she had cheated or something of a similar nature. Hurting or threatening the life of children is the easiest way to hurt a parent. This may have been his way of, say, getting back at his wife for some reason.
Some people go to extremes though.

[clinton_09]

  That's a truly terrible thing to do. I remember being scared of falling off the edge of a ferry at that age. However...I'd need to know about the state the man was in before judging him. Be interested to hear Jessie's view.

How does the state of the man justify what his actions were? He is clearly not right in the head!! From what i hear he was having custodial issues with his ex-wife. Therefore in attempt to hurt the wife he threw their only daughter over. So fucked up

[ninwa]

If the man was truly mentally unstable, then he assumes less of a responsibility for his actions than if he were perfectly sane.

[happypuff]

Am I the only one who feels sorry for him?

Note I am not condoning his actions, but you can see even from his physical reaction soon after that this will be killing him inside for the rest of his life. And I read it that he is so scared of himself that he wants his other two kids as far away from him as possible so he cannot harm them any more than he already has because he cannot trust himself with them

Of course I would have to see his track record before sympathizing with him more. If he has never hurt anyone before, then I would not call him twisted or anything like that. Its simply tragic

Edit: I am not defending him either, thought I should make that clear

[clinton_09]

If the man was truly mentally unstable, then he assumes less of a responsibility for his actions than if he were perfectly sane.

i understand that, but still i'm not going to sympathise or try and relate to him in anyway. I Don't care if he was sane or insane what he did was wrong and he should be judged because of his actions not because of his mental stability.

[happypuff]

If the man was truly mentally unstable, then he assumes less of a responsibility for his actions than if he were perfectly sane.

i understand that, but still i'm not going to sympathise or try and relate to him in anyway. I Don't care if he was sane or insane what he did was wrong and he should be judged because of his actions not because of his mental stability.

What if at the time it seemed to be a perfectly reasonable thing to do?

[clinton_09]

So Throwing a child over the west gate bridge is a reasonable thing to do? Oh dear, are you somewhat related to the man?