It was morning rush hour in Melbourne, Australia, on the 29th of January, 2009. Commuters were slowly moving in traffic along the West Gate Bridge when a white Toyota Land Cruiser heading towards the city slowed down in the left-hand land before finally coming to a halt. The driver exited his vehicle, opened the rear passenger door, and lifted out a small child. What happened next was so horrific that it still reverberates across the nation today.
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Audio Sources:
“Freeman Gets Life Sentence for Daughter’s Murder”
“Darcey Freeman’s Family Statement”
Sources:
Coroner Court of Victoria Inquest
The Brockville Recorder and Times, 29 January, 2009 – “Girl, 4, Dropped to her Death”
The Examiner, 29 January, 2009 – “Last Moments of Darcey Freeman”
The Courier Mail, 30 January, 2009 – “Experts Required to Avoid Tragedy”
MX, 30 January, 2009 – “Death Sparks Bridge Review”
Geelong Advertiser, 31 January, 2009 – “Darcey Spend Days on Coast Before Bridge Tragedy”
The Herald Sun, 31 January, 2009 – “Brothers Can Thank Stranger”
The Courier Mail, 1 February, 2009 – “Hundreds Weep for Darcey”
The Advertiser, 2 February, 2009 – “Flowers, Fairies a Mark of Love”
The Herald Sun, 3 February, 2009 – “Darcey’s Pals Remember a Lost Playmate”
The Examiner, 5 February, 2009 – “Family’s Tribute to Darcey Freeman”
Geelong Advertiser, 7 February, 2009 – “Judge Not Told About Concern with Darcey’s Safety”
Leader, 3 March, 2009 – “Stop the Bridge Toll Death”
The Herald Sun, 3 May, 2009 – “Court Ruling Right”
Sunday Mail, 17 May, 2009 – “Put Kids First in Custody Battle”
Geelong Advertiser, 22 May, 2009 – “Bridge Dad Faces Court”
The Herald Sun, 25 July, 2009 – “Darcey Tragedy to Help Violence Review”
The Herald Sun, 6 October, 2009 – “Celebrate All Kids for Darcey’s Sake”
MX, 7 October, 2009 – “Save Her, Dad”
The Advertiser, 8 October, 2009 – “At Odds”
The Australian, 8 October, 2009 – “I Saw Her Fall, Just Like a Rag Doll”
Geelong Advertiser, 8 October, 2009 – “His Face Showed a Man in Anguish”
The Age, 9 October, 2009 – “Grandfather Tried to Keep Darcey at Home”
The Australian, 9 October, 2009 – “Ex-Wife Told GP of Fears for her Children”
Geelong Advertiser, 6 November, 2009 – “Bridge Death Row”
The Advertiser, 29 January, 2010 – “How Family Law is Failing our Children”
The Australian, 29 January, 2010 – “Call to End Shared Custody”
The Age, 9 March, 2011 – “Mad, Not Bad”
The Advertiser, 10 March, 2011 – “Bridge Death”
The Canberra Times, 10 March, 2011 – “Dad Neutral After Girl Cast Off Bridge”
The Advertiser, 11 March, 2011 – “Jury Sees Footage of Freeman”
Geelong Advertiser, 11 March, 2011 – “Police Say Darcey was Floating in River”
The Australian, 17 March, 2011 – “Darcey’s Mother Told Say Goodbye”
The Canberra Times, 17 March, 2011 – “Ex Told Mum ‘Say Goodbye’”
Geelong Advertiser, 19 March, 2011 – “Court Told that West Gate Killer Knew What He Was Doing”
The Daily Telegraph, 22 March, 2011 – “Death Dad Was Aware”
Herald Sun, 18 March, 2011 – “Psychiatrist’s View on Darcey Death”
The Australian, 22 March, 2011 – “Arthur Freeman Jury Urged to Reject Evidence”
The Sunday Age, 29 March, 2011 – “This Little Girl Lost”
The Sunday Age, 29 March, 2011 – “Arthur Freeman Guilty of Daughter’s Murder”
The Age, 30 March, 2011 – “Darcey’s Murder Prompts Call for Child Safety Review”
The Age, 2 April, 2011 – “I Can Feel Her Hand Holding Mine”
The Sunday Age, 12 April, 2011 – “Ranting Freeman Gets Life for Horrible Killing”
The Australian, 12 April, 2011 – “Time Won’t Heal the Grief”
The Courier Mail, 2 June, 2012 – “Family Violence Law Changed to Protect Kids like Darcey”
The Age, 16 July, 2015 – “Death of Girl at Hands of Father Puts Mandatory Reporting by GPS in Spotlight”
