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Mother feeds sons, aged 5 and 9, cheesecake laced with sleeping pills then burns them alive.

“I will try my luck in my next life”

Judge Gray found Mr Philip had a “controlling disposition” over his wife, and that Ms Mathew was socially isolated, frustrated at not working given her high education and feared the stigma of being divorced.

Sadly the court heard that Ms Mathews had warned family and friends many times that she was thinking of killing her children, in a phone call with a cousin in Canada she had threatened to kill her husband, and later her family.

“If nothing happens, I am going to kill him. I am going to die. I’m going to kill everybody,” she said.

The Judge said in his findings that there needs to be more understanding about the meaning and purpose of family violence laws and the escalating threats from Ms Mathews about harming herself and her family should have been brought to the attention of her family or the police.

 

For help: Lifeline 13 11 14

DV and Sexual Abuse hotline 27/4: 1800 737 732

Beyondblue 1300 224 636

Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800

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Top Comments

ellaa 9 years ago

All I could think while reading this was f*#@. This is just devastating.


zamedine 9 years ago

I am awed that there are people defending this woman or suggesting that her husband 'not liking her cooking' or being sad because she couldn't develop software excuses cold blooded murder. What delusional planet do you people live on? If her husband was emotionally abusive that's terrible, but it in no way mitigates drugging two children with their favourite food and burning them to death. And while we're on the subject of abuse aren't threats of violence against the partner and threats of self harm directed at a partner or others an emotional abuse tactic?