Black Widow
01-30-2009, 12:11 AM
A DAD is accused of throwing his four-year-old daughter to her death from a 58m high bridge – in front of his two young sons.
Arthur Phillip Freeman, 35, was due in court this morning but did not attend after being deemed not in a fit psychiatric state.
He remained in the cells during a brief hearing at Melbourne Magistrates' Court.
Darcey Freeman, who would have turned five this week and was due to start school today, plunged to her death this morning.
Witnesses said his two sons were in the back seat of their nearby car.
They said they saw Freeman get out of the car, walk to the rear passenger door and unbuckle little Darcey.
They saw him lift her up and carry her to the edge of the bridge near its highest point but the child seemed unaware of what was going on and was described as limp.
She was later pulled from the water by police and airlifted to the Royal Children's Hospital in a critical condition with massive internal injuries.
A hand-written note was found at the home of Freeman which spoke of “keeping a clear head”.
The note left on a television added: “You have a big fight on your hands and by no stretch of the imagination will it be easy.”
Freeman was remanded in custody to reappear in court in May.
Murder cops are trying to trace other possible witnesses on West Gate Bridge in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, who may have seen a car parked there.
Distressing
Police and court officials said the man was involved in a custody battle with his wife over the couple’s three children, and had appeared in a family court earlier this week.
Freeman was arrested about an hour after Darcey fell to her death when security staff at court noticed him standing in the foyer with his children Benjamin, seven, and Jack, 23 months.
Police were called and several officers arrested Freeman, who offered no resistance.
The Sun
To read more on this story look below
Man accused of throwing daughter off West Gate Bridge
A HAND-written note in the home of a father accused of murdering his little girl by throwing her off the 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 note on the TV in the Hawthorn home of Arthur Phillip Freeman, 35.
Mr Freeman was arrested after Darcey Iris Freeman, 4, died in a tragedy that left a young family destroyed and the nation in shock.
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.
Mr 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.
A shell-shocked Premier John Brumby said he "just shuddered" when he heard about the tragedy.
Mr Freeman and his wife, Peta, separated in March 2007.
He was scheduled to deliver his children to school and creche yesterday morning, and when they did not arrive his wife raised the alarm.
Mrs Freeman was in the care of relatives last night.
A day of tragedy started 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.
Just over an hour later, Mr Freeman was detained after he was seen pacing in a distressed state in the foyer of the Commonwealth Law Courts building in William St.
His two sons, Benjamin, 6, and Jack, 2, were 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 said "can you take my kids for me".
Mr Freeman offered no resistance when he was arrested.
A white Land Cruiser was found parked nearby. A child booster seat was in the back seat, along with children's toys and clothing.
Darcey was pronounced dead at 1.35pm with her mother at her bedside.
Mrs Freeman's mother is believed to have rushed from Perth to Melbourne when she heard of the tragedy.
The Melbourne Magistrates' Court was told Mr Freeman, of Power St, had been charged with murdering Darcey at Spotswood.
Magistrate Lance Martin heard Mr Freeman had been deemed mentally unfit to be interviewed by detectives from the homicide squad.
Acting Det-Sgt Damian Jackson told the court a forensic medical officer described Mr Freeman as being in an acute psychiatric state.
"The forensic medical officer had concerns he was suicidal and could self harm."
Defence lawyer Elanor Peattie said Mr Freeman told her he was content to be dealt with "in his absence".
Mr Brumby said the hearts of all Victorians went out to the family of the dead child.
"It's such a terrible tragedy. It's such an awful, horrible thing to happen to the child. You just shudder, you just think, how could that happen."
Det-Insp Steve Clark, of the homicide squad, said the tragedy was upsetting for everyone.
"It's particularly distressing for family members but also for witnesses who saw it.
"I have got a number of police here who have young children themselves who have had to deal with this and they are obviously upset."
Det-Insp Clark said several witnesses had already come forward and were being interviewed by police.
Paramedic team manager Trevor Weston said officers worked on Darcey for almost an hour.
He said the tragedy was horrific for everyone involved.
A solicitor for Mr Freeman said the father of three appeared to be devoted to his kids. "He was very committed to his children," she said.
- Norrie Ross, Fiona Hudson, and Paul Anderson
news.com.au
Arthur Phillip Freeman, 35, was due in court this morning but did not attend after being deemed not in a fit psychiatric state.
He remained in the cells during a brief hearing at Melbourne Magistrates' Court.
Darcey Freeman, who would have turned five this week and was due to start school today, plunged to her death this morning.
Witnesses said his two sons were in the back seat of their nearby car.
They said they saw Freeman get out of the car, walk to the rear passenger door and unbuckle little Darcey.
They saw him lift her up and carry her to the edge of the bridge near its highest point but the child seemed unaware of what was going on and was described as limp.
She was later pulled from the water by police and airlifted to the Royal Children's Hospital in a critical condition with massive internal injuries.
A hand-written note was found at the home of Freeman which spoke of “keeping a clear head”.
The note left on a television added: “You have a big fight on your hands and by no stretch of the imagination will it be easy.”
Freeman was remanded in custody to reappear in court in May.
Murder cops are trying to trace other possible witnesses on West Gate Bridge in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, who may have seen a car parked there.
Distressing
Police and court officials said the man was involved in a custody battle with his wife over the couple’s three children, and had appeared in a family court earlier this week.
Freeman was arrested about an hour after Darcey fell to her death when security staff at court noticed him standing in the foyer with his children Benjamin, seven, and Jack, 23 months.
Police were called and several officers arrested Freeman, who offered no resistance.
The Sun
To read more on this story look below
Man accused of throwing daughter off West Gate Bridge
A HAND-written note in the home of a father accused of murdering his little girl by throwing her off the 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 note on the TV in the Hawthorn home of Arthur Phillip Freeman, 35.
Mr Freeman was arrested after Darcey Iris Freeman, 4, died in a tragedy that left a young family destroyed and the nation in shock.
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.
Mr 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.
A shell-shocked Premier John Brumby said he "just shuddered" when he heard about the tragedy.
Mr Freeman and his wife, Peta, separated in March 2007.
He was scheduled to deliver his children to school and creche yesterday morning, and when they did not arrive his wife raised the alarm.
Mrs Freeman was in the care of relatives last night.
A day of tragedy started 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.
Just over an hour later, Mr Freeman was detained after he was seen pacing in a distressed state in the foyer of the Commonwealth Law Courts building in William St.
His two sons, Benjamin, 6, and Jack, 2, were 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 said "can you take my kids for me".
Mr Freeman offered no resistance when he was arrested.
A white Land Cruiser was found parked nearby. A child booster seat was in the back seat, along with children's toys and clothing.
Darcey was pronounced dead at 1.35pm with her mother at her bedside.
Mrs Freeman's mother is believed to have rushed from Perth to Melbourne when she heard of the tragedy.
The Melbourne Magistrates' Court was told Mr Freeman, of Power St, had been charged with murdering Darcey at Spotswood.
Magistrate Lance Martin heard Mr Freeman had been deemed mentally unfit to be interviewed by detectives from the homicide squad.
Acting Det-Sgt Damian Jackson told the court a forensic medical officer described Mr Freeman as being in an acute psychiatric state.
"The forensic medical officer had concerns he was suicidal and could self harm."
Defence lawyer Elanor Peattie said Mr Freeman told her he was content to be dealt with "in his absence".
Mr Brumby said the hearts of all Victorians went out to the family of the dead child.
"It's such a terrible tragedy. It's such an awful, horrible thing to happen to the child. You just shudder, you just think, how could that happen."
Det-Insp Steve Clark, of the homicide squad, said the tragedy was upsetting for everyone.
"It's particularly distressing for family members but also for witnesses who saw it.
"I have got a number of police here who have young children themselves who have had to deal with this and they are obviously upset."
Det-Insp Clark said several witnesses had already come forward and were being interviewed by police.
Paramedic team manager Trevor Weston said officers worked on Darcey for almost an hour.
He said the tragedy was horrific for everyone involved.
A solicitor for Mr Freeman said the father of three appeared to be devoted to his kids. "He was very committed to his children," she said.
- Norrie Ross, Fiona Hudson, and Paul Anderson
news.com.au