Darcey Freeman - killed by her father Arthur Freeman

11:10am UK, Thursday January 29, 2009
A 35-year-old man has been charged with murder after allegedly throwing his young daughter from a 190ft bridge into a river in Australia.



Arthur Freeman has been charged with murder (Pic: John Hargest/ Herald Sun.au)

The man, named as Arthur Freeman, apparently pushed four-year-old Darcey off Melbourne's West Gate Bridge into the Yarra River.

He is believed to be involved in a custody battle with the girl's mother, according to reports.

It happened in front of hundreds of motorists as two other children, believed to be boys aged six and eight, remained in the man's four-wheel drive, police said.

"No one had the opportunity to intervene... it all happened fairly quickly," Detective Inspector Steve Clark said.

"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."


West Gate Bridge in Melbourne

Horrified witnesses called police, who were on the scene within moments and retrieved her body from the water.

They spent 45 minutes attempting to resuscitate the youngster on the riverbank.

She died from severe internal inuries within hours of being airlifted to hospital.

The man was arrested outside the city's law courts building with the two young boys shortly after the incident, and was "visibly distressed", Mr Clark said.

He was not mentally fit to be interviewed and his lawyers said he could not appear in court because he was suicidal and in an "acute psychiatric state".

His case will be heard in May, says the Herald Sun.

"It's a dreadful set of circumstances and often you think you've seen it all but you haven't," Det Insp Clark said, adding that the man is believed to be embroiled in a custody battle with his wife.

"There have been some ongoing family court matters as I understand it between the father and his wife," he said.

The couple reportedly reached an agreement in court on Wednesday appointing joint custody. The boys were interviewed by police and have been returned to their mother

9:55pm UK, Thursday February 05, 2009
The family of a four-year-old girl allegedly thrown from a bridge by her father in Melbourne have spoken of their heartache.



The picture of Darcey Freeman released by her family


Darcey Freeman's relatives told a local newspaper: "We are all in deep mourning. We will never understand the reasons why... sometimes things in life are just not fair."

The young girl's mother Peta also wrote a heartfelt death notice which read: "My darling daughter. My heart will always be with you, as you will be with me. "We will miss you every day and remember you with love and laughter."

The family also issued the first picture of the little girl.

They are calling for a national Children's Day in Australia to honour children who die tragically young.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has approved of the idea, describing Darcey's death as 'gut-wrenching'.
"Anyone with a touch of humanity in them finds this just unspeakable" the Prime Minister said.

Arthur Freeman, Darcey's father, has been charged with murder for allegedly throwing his daughter off Melbourne's West Gate Bridge into the Yarra River.


Arthur Freeman, Darcey's father

Darcey died of severe internal inuries after being air-lifted to hospital after the incident on January 29.

Reports suggest Mr Freeman was involved in a custody battle with the girl's mother.

What a Bastard. What a complete and utter waste of space. How could he do this to his little girl? His two little boys were watching too...how must they feel?

Reat in Peace Darcey x Sleep well now little one.



I think a National Children's day is a wonderful idea.

this is horrible

how can someone can do this???

i hope he gets what he deserves in jail!!!!!!

RIP my dear

It makes me sick reading this chit.

fruitcake wrote:It makes me sick reading this chit.

Me too fruitcake.

Evil git i hope he gets a good beating

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/last-moments-of-darcey/2009/01/29/1232818637176.html

IT WAS meant to be her first day of school. Darcey Iris Freeman was just a couple of days off turning five. Her father had allegedly promised to take her and her older brother to their primary school on time.

No one knows what made Arthur Phillip Freeman apparently change his mind. Not his lawyers, who could not believe what happened. Not the police, who could get no sense out of him. Not the forensic psychiatrist who concluded he was not fit to plead.

And certainly not Darcey, who will now never get the chance to ask him.

It began on a hot morning after a sweltering night. Freeman had apparently taken all three of his children to a beach house overnight to escape Melbourne's heat. Coming back to town, the traffic across the West Gate bridge was slow.

But what police say happened in front of horrified witnesses happened fast - so fast, police would claim later, that there was no chance for anyone to stop it.

Just after 9am Freeman's white Toyota LandCruiser, driving towards the city, slowed in the left lane. It stopped.

Freeman is 35. He works in IT and lives in Hawthorn. He is estranged from his wife, Peta.

What happened next is before the courts. This is what some witnesses apparently told police they saw:

Freeman got out of the car. He walked to the rear passenger door. His two sons Benjamin, 6, and Jack, 2, were in the back seat. But it was Darcey whom he leaned over and unbuckled.

He allegedly lifted her up and carried her to the edge of the bridge near its highest point. Witnesses later told police the child seemed limp; she did not fight. She did not protest. Those who had to deal with what happened next have prayed that maybe she was unconscious, or thought it was a game; that she had no idea.

Freeman allegedly walked to the edge of the bridge, lifted his daughter over the railing - and let go.

Darcey fell past the railings; past the line of cars; past the pylons. She hurtled 58 metres into the murky waters below.

Her father allegedly got back into his car. He drove off. Frantic motorists called police.

Water Police got there first. They dragged the little girl from the water at a spot near a children's hospital. She was in a critical condition with internal injuries. Meanwhile a massive police hunt swung into action.

Police searching for the white LandCruiser feared a second crime scene.

But about 10.30am they were called to the Commonwealth Law Courts in the city. The building houses the Family Law Court and the Federal Magistrates Court, which also handles family law cases.

Security staff there are trained to recognise people in distress. They phoned police after noticing a man in the foyer crying and shaking uncontrollably. He looked, one said later, like "he'd had enough".

His two sons were clinging to him. He begged security guards, "Can you take my kids for me?"

He was having trouble talking. It was his older son who gave the guards the parents' names.

When police arrived, Freeman was arrested and handcuffed. Family friends were called to the court to collect the children. Peta Freeman rushed to the hospital to be with her daughter, who died at 1.35 pm.

It is believed that while in police custody, Freeman was unable to utter a word. He was shaking and weeping, apparently in deep shock. He was charged with murder.

Yesterday afternoon, the Melbourne Magistrates Court was told a doctor had found him unfit for interview and was concerned he was suicidal.

The magistrate, Lance Martin, said he would ensure staff at the Melbourne Custody Centre were advised of his condition and remanded him in custody to reappear on May 21.

Zelma Rudstein, whose law firm Rudstein Kron Lawyers had acted for Freeman, described him as a "devoted and loving father". "It's devastating and unexpected. We are just trying to come to grips with it," she said.

"It's very tragic and certainly not anything anyone could have predicted would happen."

Traumatised police and paramedics were being counselled last night.

OH MY GOD.
I know I posted this story initially but reading it, like this, has made me feel cold to the very core. He just picked her up and dropped her over the side of the bridge....I feel sick.

eddie wrote:OH MY GOD.
I know I posted this story initially but reading it, like this, has made me feel cold to the very core. He just picked her up and dropped her over the side of the bridge....I feel sick.

It's just so horrible...i could only read it half way through as i could feel the tears comming.Poor little boys,poor mother....

RIP Darcy.

lubelle wrote:

eddie wrote:OH MY GOD.
I know I posted this story initially but reading it, like this, has made me feel cold to the very core. He just picked her up and dropped her over the side of the bridge....I feel sick.

It's just so horrible...i could only read it half way through as i could feel the tears comming.Poor little boys,poor mother....

RIP Darcy.

I cant imagine what those little boys were thinking of seeing their father throw their sister over that bridge. That will effect them for life