Mom 'feared for children's lives' (Melbourne, Australia)

Once again, a mother had rational concerns about the safety of her children with their father--but she was ignored. Now Dad ARTHUR PHILLIP FREEMAN is on trial for throwing their 4-year-old daughter to her death from a bridge.

http://www.theage.com.au/national/west-gate-horror-mother-feared-for-childrens-lives-20091008-go60.html

West Gate horror: mother 'feared for children's lives'
October 8, 2009

A woman feared her ex-husband would kill their children before he allegedly threw their four-year-old daughter to her death from the West gate Bridge .

Peta Barnes said in her police statement tendered in court she feared her ex-husband Arthur Phillip Freeman would kill their children to get back at her.

Freeman, 36, was today committed to stand trial for murdering Darcey Freeman as he drove her to her first day at school on January 29.

He allegedly dropped her from Melbourne's West Gate Bridge on January 29 this year, moments after telling Ms Barnes to farewell her children, the Melbourne Magistrates Court was told.

"You will never see them again," Freeman allegedly told her on the phone.

Darcey fell 58 metres and died in hospital.

In her statement, Ms Barnes said she expressed her concerns to a doctor soon after she first left her husband in 2007.

"I spoke to him about my fears of Arthur and what he could do to hurt the children," she said.

"I told (the doctor) that I believed he would kill my children and that I believed he was vengeful enough to kill my children to get back at me."

Ms Barnes said in her statement there was an incident after she left Freeman when she feared he would harm their baby.

She said Freeman had wanted to see her to talk but he "just wanted to berate me for all of the things that I had done wrong".

Ms Barnes said as she and her mother went to leave, Freeman grabbed the baby off her.

"I thought he was going to throw him against the fireplace and kill him," she said.

"Mum and I fought him and I bit him to get him to let the baby go because he is incredibly strong and he wouldn't let go."

She said the police were called.

When Freeman was asked by Magistrate Peter Reardon if he would enter a plea to a charge of murder, he replied: "Not guilty, your honour."

Freeman was remanded in custody to appear at a directions hearing at the Victorian Supreme Court on October 22.