Father kills son at cricket practice...

[Peter B]

http://www.abc.net.a...et-oval/5258252

A horribly sad story here, of an 11 year old son killed by his father at cricket practice. The boy's parents were separated, and one of the few places the father was allowed to see his son was at cricket practice. For whatever reason the father attacked his son and killed him, in the presence of the boy's mother and other children and parents. He then confronted police with a knife, and was shot by them after capsicum spray failed to subdue him.

It seems mental illness is at the heart of this tragedy...

Ms Batty says she had known Greg for 20 years, and over that time his mental health deteriorated.

"[He went] from someone who brushed off losing a job to someone that was unemployable," she said.

"He was in a homelessness situation for many years. His life was failing. Everything was becoming worse in his life and Luke was the only bright light in his life."

She says Greg had been offered help, but he failed to accept it, instead choosing to "believe he was OK".

She had an AVO against Greg, but says he loved Luke and there were no signs he would ever hurt their son.

Edited February 13, 2014 by Still Waters
Trimmed quote

[Awake2Chaos]

That is just awful. That poor kid.

But how do you let your partner suffer with a mental illness for 2 decades and not get them help? I just don't understand that at all.

[krypter3]

Saw it on the news. The mother has copped a bit of backlash since it happened.

[fishinbilly]

Tragic That is All I can Say...

[psyche101]

I heard about this midday yesterday, I could not get out of a depressive state all day, it really affected me more than I expected it to.

All I have heard is he had mental illness, the real sad part if the boy rarely saw his father and had finished playing cricket and asked his mother if he could go back to be with his father for a few more minutes as he never sees him. Next thing she saw the boy lying on the ground and ran over screaming for an ambulance realising something we very wrong.

They had been divorced for some time I understand, which is probably why the mother did not get help for her partner. One source at least is claiming it was premeditated, but I am not sure any evidence exists to support that notion. All sources indicate they loved each other very much.

This really breaks my heart. I am still too shocked to consider blame, I just know there is no excuse for this tragic loss of life. I have to wonder how people manage to keep faith when you hear of a senseless tragedy like this. No way this is part of some big plan, it's just a dark page in everyday life.

[Peter B]

That is just awful. That poor kid.

But how do you let your partner suffer with a mental illness for 2 decades and not get them help? I just don't understand that at all.

With respect, where do you get the idea she made no attempt to get him help? As the article says, he kept refusing help, apparently believing he was okay.

[Peter B]

And to add to the tragedy, police missed an opportunity to prevent this whole mess. They had spoken to Anderson only a few weeks ago about an assault allegation. At the time there were five arrest warrants issued for him, but thanks to problems with the police IT system these officers didn't know that. Or, as the Victorian Police Commissioner put it:

Our members who attended at that scene would not have had visibility of the existence of those warrants when they attended at this address because of shortcomings in our IT systems.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-14/luke-batty-death-police-missed-arrest-chance-due-to-it-glitch/5259320

[AMP40]

Sad though, how 'mental illness' is so commonly used to be a fixed ploy into which society parlay's itself against the wrong. There are many great people with a mental illness, and surprise, surprise, not all are either vengeful or off their rockers. I think this is just a societal attempt to tell themselves they are better than those they see on the news. Get an MD or PhD in psychology, then do the talking.

[Hawken]

A sad situation. A child is suppose to feel secure, loved and protected by the parent.

The father refused help. I guess you can't help those who don't want to help themselves.

[Awake2Chaos]

With respect, where do you get the idea she made no attempt to get him help? As the article says, he kept refusing help, apparently believing he was okay.

I'm sure she did. I got the impression she gave up trying. I don't know the legal system in Australia, but here in the states, you can get the court system involved and they can make it part of the terms of a parent's visitation if need be. Reading up on AVO's, it seems like they could of incorporated therapy into it, especially since they are geared towards protecting people from physical violence.

Maybe some of our Australian members could shed some light on that for us.

[DKO]

I'm sure she did. I got the impression she gave up trying. I don't know the legal system in Australia, but here in the states, you can get the court system involved and they can make it part of the terms of a parent's visitation if need be. Reading up on AVO's, it seems like they could of incorporated therapy into it, especially since they are geared towards protecting people from physical violence.

Maybe some of our Australian members could shed some light on that for us.

In hindsight we have all the answers.

[Awake2Chaos]

In hindsight we have all the answers.

Sucks how that works, doesn't it?

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

I'm sure she did. I got the impression she gave up trying. I don't know the legal system in Australia, but here in the states, you can get the court system involved and they can make it part of the terms of a parent's visitation if need be. Reading up on AVO's, it seems like they could of incorporated therapy into it, especially since they are geared towards protecting people from physical violence.

Maybe some of our Australian members could shed some light on that for us.

From what I've read, she had been to the courts, the cops etc had been warned and the cops computer messed up and said "no record found" when they pulled him over for an RBT that very week (if not that day).

Basically, of it was anywhere other then cricket practice the poor boy would still probably be alive because schools have lockdown procedures and lots and lots of signs in staffrooms saying "if you see X and Y who are not allowed contact, lock down your room and call office pronto". At home mum could have called the coppers. But cricket practice? Anonymity reigns.

[libstaK]

From what I've read, she had been to the courts, the cops etc had been warned and the cops computer messed up and said "no record found" when they pulled him over for an RBT that very week (if not that day).

Basically, of it was anywhere other then cricket practice the poor boy would still probably be alive because schools have lockdown procedures and lots and lots of signs in staffrooms saying "if you see X and Y who are not allowed contact, lock down your room and call office pronto". At home mum could have called the coppers. But cricket practice? Anonymity reigns.

The mother was at the cricket too, her son was in her care and she knew the father was there. From what I have read, the son wanted to spend just a few more moments with his dad because he hardly sees him - she knew this and was ok with it. The bottom line is that neither she nor her son could imagine that the father would be a danger to his child. She believed the violence issue was related to her and him, not that he would do anything to his son.

It is a horrible tragedy, the son goes to his father for a "father/son" moment because he hardly sees him and is greeted with horror from the man he trusted to love him.

Edited February 16, 2014 by libstaK