Dad held after children die in suspected arson fire; fire follows separation and "fall out" with children's mother (Pretoria, South Africa)

Well, I see that the South African media is just as ignorant about domestic violence as the rest of the world. We have a UNNAMED DAD who deliberately set an arson fire at the family home that killed two of his daughters, ages 5 and 10. The mother and a 14-year-old daughter escaped.

But instead of tagging this idiot as the control freak/abuser that he obviously is, the reporter stresses how (clueless) others were "surprised" by the father's actions. "Disagreements" and "fall out" between the mother and father (who had recently separated) are blamed.

Well, read further, and you get the real story. There was no surprise here in the slightest. Daddy had already told a family member he would "get his wife back for what she had done to him." Another family member describes the father as "messing up big time" and as a person who should not have been "tolerated."

Why the false balance? In other crime stories, you would never seek out or print kind words about a guy who shot up a factory.

Hat tip to Katie.

http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/dad-held-after-children-die-1.1039145

Dad held after children die
March 10 2011 at 07:44am
By Karabo Seanego

Two children aged five and 10 died trapped in flames when their estranged father allegedly set their family home in Mabopane’s Block E on fire on Wednesday after a fallout with their mother. The mother, a paramedic, and her 14-year-old daughter survived the inferno and are in hospital.
The father also survived the blaze, but with injuries for which he sought treatment at hospital, where he was arrested by police.

The tragedy follows what was believed to be an amicable separation between the couple, and what transpired on Wednesday took relatives of the family and residents by surprise.

It is alleged that on Sunday the wife drove the husband to his family in Hammanskraal following disagreements between them.

The man assured his family he was content with the separation and spent the night there. But he allegedly told his nephew that he would get his wife back for what she had done to him, and the nephew warned him “not to do anything stupid as it would land him in prison”.

The following day the man went to visit a relative in Murula View, Mabopane, but disappeared at night without informing anyone where he was going.

He made his way to the family home, gained entry, sprinkled petrol around inside and then set the house alight.

The wife and the 14-year-old escaped, but the couple’s five- and 10-year-old daughters were trapped.

The estranged father jumped the wall and fled, leaving his two daughters burning to death.

Police and emergency personnel found the two sisters huddled in a room next to a wall, suggesting they were trying to get out but found themselves surrounded by flames.

As he relived the horror he had witnessed, Lolo Bopape, the children’s uncle, who lives in a cottage on the property, said he could not believe what transpired. He said he had returned from work at around 1.30am and went to bed while everything was still in order.

“I was awakened by loud screams and neighbours rushing in,” he said.

“As I woke up I was met by huge flames coming from the house.”

Community members worked frantically to contain the fire, but once they had managed to bring it under control all that was left were charred remains.

An angry Bopape said: “He messed up big time. We don’t need people like him in the community; this can not be tolerated.”

He said he had tried to speak to the man in the past, but his pleas had fallen on deaf ears.

Residents were shocked at what happened and speculated about what could have driven the man to set his family’s home on fire.

Dikeledi Lehobye, the mayoral committee member for community safety, said the community needed to give support to the family during this difficult time.

She also urged the community to regard every threat made as serious and to report it immediately to the police.

Police spokesman Constable William Mahlaole said the husband was arrested after he was admitted to hospital to have his burns treated.

“The suspect was arrested at Dr George Mukhari Hospital and is under police guard.

“He will be charged with murder and arson once he is discharged.”

The mother and her 14-year-old daughter were taken to the Legae Private Clinic where they are recovering. Bopape said the two were devastated and might require counselling to help them cope with the tragedy. - Pretoria News