More background on "psychotic" dad/child killer: Why did this man have visitation rights? (Perth, Australia)

Even the prosecution cedes that dad ILIYA ZILIC has a long history of drug abuse, paranoia, and schizophrenic illness. Religious delusions abound. He was prescribed an anti-psychotic medication shortly before the time of the 3-year-old son's murder. A witness who saw Dad around the time of the killing described him as "hysterical." Three psychiatrists have testified that Dad was paranoid schizophrenic at the time of the murder.

So if the man was this sick--and for the sake of argument I'll agree that he certainly seems to be pretty damn sick--we need to re-ask the obvious question (also asked in the post below). WHY WAS THIS FATHER ALLOWED ANY CUSTODY/VISITATION RIGHTS AT ALL? Why was he allowed to pick up this child on April 20, 2008--for what was ostensibly a two-day visitation--only to slit the child's throat sometime in the next four days? Do all kiddies really need a daddy no matter how crazy and disturbed the daddy may be? Australian officials have some answering to do, before more children are harmed or killed.

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,26335552-2682,00.html

Aliya Zilic 'slit throat of Imran Zilic at Coober Pedy'
JORDANNA SCHRIEVER, COURT REPORTER
November 11, 2009 12:48pm

A FATHER slit his toddler son's throat with a steak knife and threw him down a disused mineshaft because the boy was "the devil's helper", a court has heard.

Aliya Zilic, 33, has been charged with the murder of Imran Zilic, 3, at Coober Pedy between April 20-24 last year.

During a trial by judge alone, prosecutor Jim Pearce today told the Supreme Court Zilic was a drug addict and schizophrenic who believed his ex-wife, Mirsada Halilovic, was "working for the devil" and "possessed by demons".

The court heard Zilic told police he believed his son to be in the hands of God.

"(Zilic) said Allah's name and dropped him in a shaft," Mr Pearce said.

The boy's body was found on May 9 in a disused drill hole 47km south of the Outback town.
The court heard police were able to locate Imran's body after Zilic drew a map and provided some directions.

Prosecutors alleged Zilic had travelled from Coober Pedy to Perth in April last year, arriving to pick up his son about 6am on April 20.

They alleged he then returned to Coober Pedy, stopping along the way including at Penong, near Ceduna, where a hotel proprietor described Imran as "hysterical".

Zilic is then alleged to have attended a doctor's appointment at Coober Pedy hospital on April 22nd, when he was prescribed an anti-psychotic medication.

"The killing has to have taken place sometime on either the 22nd or 23rd, bearing in mind (Zilic) left Coober Pedy on the 23rd," Mr Pearce said.

He said police found a washed steak knife in the kitchen draw at Zilic's one-bedroom unit in Coober Pedy had a DNA match to that of his son.

He said other forensic evidence, including blood in Zilic's car, also linked him to the alleged murder.

Zilic was arrested in the West Australian town of Kununurra on May 1 last year, after travelling to Alice Springs and Katherine, both in the Northern Territory.

Mr Pearce said at the time Zilic told police he had returned Imran to his mother.

The court heard Zilic had a history of schizophrenia and drug addiction, which began when he was as young as 17.

Justice Margaret Nyland is yet to determine whether Zilic was mentally incompetent at the time of the murder.

Mr Pearce today told the court three psychiatrists had provided reports indicating Zilic was motivated by paranoid schizophrenia at the time of the murder.

Each of the psychiatrists is expected to give evidence over the next two days.

The trial is continuing.