“To have these darling little girls cuddling and crying and saying is this really happening to their mum…it’s just devastating.”
On Monday morning mother-of-two Amanda Matheson was on her way to work.
She had farewelled her two girls, aged 13 and 15 and set off for the day from their south-east Melbourne home.
Twenty minutes into her journey her car was slammed into by a stolen BMW four-wheel-drive hurtling down the wrong side of Governor Road in Mordialloc, allegedly driven by a 15-year old.
The impact sent the BMW ramming into a pole and left Amanda Matheson with life threatening injuries.
The impact of the crash was horrific.
Paramedics rushed the 47-year old much loved mother and wife to The Alfred Hospital. Her desperate family shocked out of their Monday morning routine rushed to the hospital.
The young offender fled, according to police he left his allegedly stolen vehicle and ran. Police found the teenager a short time later and arrested him.
But for the family of Amanda Matheson the worst was only beginning. For two days she battled her injuries her family on edge hoping she would pull through, but tragically, Amanda Matheson did not survive. She died in hospital with her two girls at her side yesterday.
Her sister-in-law, Claire Morris, told The Age that Mrs Matheson mother “lived for her girls.”
“It was always about the girls…She put everyone else first before herself. “
“To have these darling little girls cuddling and crying and saying is this really happening to their mum…it’s just devastating.”
Just weeks ago the same community was devastated by the death of mum of two Andrea Lehane. The 34-year old was killed after being hit by a teenager riding an illegal monkey bike outside the local shopping centre.
The husband of Andrea Lehane talks about his loss…
The teenager allegedly responsible for the death of Mrs Lehane was granted bail on October 20 the judge said he was allowing the young man off because of “his youth.”
In the face of another tragic death the community is now demanding more is done with Amanda Matheson’s sister-in-law vowing to change things for good.
Writing online Mrs Morris said “I am now on a mission, justice WILL be done, the system is f****d… no more innocent loved ones need to die ….”
“My grief has turned to anger, but now for my beautiful nieces I want to raise public awareness about how as a community we need tougher penalties for young re-offenders. They, and their parents need to be held accountable for their actions. A slap on the wrist is not working!
“Our family is devastated,” Mrs Morris told The Herald Sun.
“We are all sick and tired of these young hoons that keep getting away with it.
“Mandy has two teenage daughters and they are devastated. She has elderly parents who are beside themselves. My nieces keep asking me why this has happened.
“It is disgraceful. This has ruined so many lives. It is so tragic and unnecessary.
“The boy should be dragged up here and made to see the devastation he has caused.”
Earlier this week, the teenage boy who was driving the stolen BMW that crashed into Mrs Matheson was charged by police with a number of offences. They are now expected to be upgraded.
He faces charges of reckless conduct placing a person in danger of death, reckless conduct placing a person in danger of serious injury, driving in a manner dangerous and other traffic offences.
He has also been charged with aggravated burglary and a number of thefts of motor cars.
The boy was remanded and will appear at a Children’s Court at a later date.
In death Amanda Matheson has continued to help others, organs she donated have already saved five lives.
The devastated family of Mrs Matheson posted a heartbreaking tribute online her sister-in-law, Claire Morris writing:
“RIP dear Mandy. Your girls will be well looked after and I will get you the justice you deserve. Thankyou for saving the lives of 5 strangers, they and their families will be forever grateful. XXXX”
Top Comments
The charge for anybody regardless of age who steals a vehicle of any kind and subsequently causes an accident resulting in death should be no less than manslaughter, if they are involved in a police pursuit at ANY time prior to the accident a mandatory 5 years should be imposed ON TOP of any court sentencing plus an additional 2 years added to any non parole period, this should apply whether the court sentence is 6 months or 6 years, it should also double for each and every re-offence.
There should be a 30-60 second grace for drivers of stolen and non-stolen vehicles not involved in an accident who run, a WTF am I doing period, where they can just stop without additional penalty, after that a one week mandatory sentence, the mandatory sentence should increase the longer the pursuits last and with speeds reached, there needs to be an insensitive to stop and bloody harsh penalties for those who choose to keep going. Sometimes common sense takes a while to kick in.
Should throw the book at these kids. They are old enough to know better and there should be VERY strict laws about trying to elude police in stolen vehicles. Should be a serious charge of endangering the welfare of the public or something and it should carry a mandatory term. If you aren't doing anything wrong, then you shouldn't be racing away from police and refusing to pull over. Many people think police shouldn't pursue these people, but how do we catch them, unless it's during the course of carrying out a crime. Little fuckers need to be off the street. They take a life, then they forgoe their own life... behind bars.
I'll say it since this site is full of weak PC-BS artists: Never. Going. To. Happen. Australia is the land of the excuse-making for criminal behaviour. Watch the slime leach out of the woodwork along the lines of "They should be SUPPORTED, not DEMONISED" "Everyone is young once" "It's really society's fault" "They come from families that can't provide boundaries (but it's still totes wrong and unfair to remove children from their parents' custody ESPESH if their parents are useless incompetent morons)"
Consider what happened when the 15 year old criminal shot Curtis Cheng - all the excuses IN THE WORLD were made for his behaviour. It will always happen here because we have allowed it. We have invited moral relativism, we have castigated judgment and we have vilified any suggestion of personal responsibility. Any debate on the subject is shouted down by accusation of racism/elitism/sexism/responsibilityism - take your pick. The piece of excrement who killed this woman and destroyed her family is ultimately the ideal Australian citizen. Every single social policy is aimed at producing such people.
Well said! Time for the mollycoddling to stop! Jail the little fuckers and get them off the streets. Then do something about their useless parents - jail them as well!
You've really hit the nail on the head Bitten - I couldn't agree with you more. My first comment is really my wish list because as you say, we spend more time making excuses for people these days, than expecting people to take responsibility for their actions.
Your arguments are better aimed at our judicial system, where they are continually given very light sentences for their crimes.