On Saturday 2 February 2020, on a hot summer afternoon, father, Danny Abdallah, allowed his four children, and 3 others, to take a walk in their local neighbourhood in search of ice-cream, which he normally does.
Mr Abdallah rightfully believed that the likelihood of danger here was incalculably small. The children were to stick together whilst walking the streets of Oatlands, and with it still being light outside, there was no need for overbearing instruction. But no one could have possibly foreseen the tragic events that were due to transpire.
Just streets away from the Abdallah house, Samuel William Davidson, aged 29, allegedly got behind the wheel of his Mitsubishi Triton utility 4WD, after an afternoon drinking at home. It is believed that his car veered onto the wrong side of the road and mounted the kerb, striking the group of children. By the time his vehicle had stopped, Mr Davidson had killed four children and a fifth would later remain in a coma due to head injuries sustained in the crash.
Siblings, Antony, 13, Angelina, 12 and Sienna Abdallah, 9, were killed in the crash, along with their cousin Veronique Sakr, 11. “I told them just go for a walk, stay together, you should be OK”, a tearful Mr Abdallah explained to interviewers before pleading for drivers to “Please, be careful”.
The driver was breath-tested following the incident and returned a reading of 0.150, three times above the legal limit. Mr Davidson was arrested at the scene and has remained in custody since. He allegedly waived his right to an interview and subsequently, has been charged with 20 offences, including four counts of manslaughter, high-range drink-driving and a refusal to be interviewed by police.
The 20 charges against Mr Davidson, including four counts of manslaughter, were read in court on Sunday, 2 February 2020. He has also been charged with four counts of dangerous driving occasioning death while driving under the influence, four counts of dangerous driving occasioning death while driving in a dangerous manner, two counts of causing bodily harm by misconduct while in charge of a motor vehicle and negligent driving.
Mr Davidson did not appear in court and was refused bail until his next court appearance on 2 April 2020. The driver has not entered any pleas and could be facing a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison for manslaughter alone. But is this really a satisfactory punishment?
It is with a sad heart that the team at F&G send our love and prayers to the Abdallah family and all others affected by this horrific loss. We urge our justice system to hold Mr Davidson accountable for his actions and contend that he must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Whilst there is no cure for the pain these families must be facing, they deserve justice for the grief cased by Mr Davidson’s indifference to the lives of their precious children.