Dream family ends in tragedy in Canada

Quote #1: Justice Michelle Crighton had to decide if she had the intent required to be convicted of murder. Her ex-husband argued she did. Forensic computer analyst Dwayne Pilling told the court Allyson McConnell had typed into a search engine on her computer “How long does it take to drown?”, “How long does it take to die from strangulation?”, “electrocution by hair dryer in bathtub” and “How long can you go without food and water?” In a second bathroom at the home, police found a plugged-in hair dryer and another appliance in a bathtub filled with water. A rope was found hanging from a ceiling post with a chair underneath. … On April 20 last year Justice Crighton found her guilty of manslaughter, but not guilty of second-degree murder because there was enough “reasonable doubt that she had the specific intent to kill her children”.

I wonder if the judge would have had less doubt if the father had been the murderer?!!

Quote #2: Allyson McConnell’s case was reviewed by Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada on Friday and, unless a late decision is made, she is expected to be on a plane to Sydney on Monday. Mr McConnell fears his ex-wife could kill again in Australia. “Will anyone there know about the murders she committed here?” he asked. “Being only 34 years old, will she start a new family and have another child in her care?”

The dad effect: Why dads are as important as mums

Fiona Baker, Kidspot

While the mother-child bond is indisputable, increasingly research is showing that dads, too, have a huge impact on their kids – and vice-versa. Of course, it makes sense that today’s fathers should be found to be at least equally as influential as mothers, yet it’s tended to be mums who’ve got all the credit, or, [...]

Domestic abuse: Our male-victimizing myths live on

Barbara Kay, National Post (Canada)

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/03/27/barbara-kay-our-male-victimizing-myths-live-on/  Twenty years ago Earl Silverman of Calgary, fleeing his home to escape violence from his abusive wife, had no refuge to take shelter in. There were plenty of shelters for women victims of domestic abuse, but for men the only publicly funded services were for anger management. The message was clear to Silverman: “As [...]

Defeated dads

Sam de Brito, Sydney Morning Herald

 http://m.smh.com.au/executive-style/culture/blogs/all-men-are-liars/defeated-dads-20130326-2grz8.html Watched a beautiful little film recently titled For Ellen that made me cry more than any movie has in 20 years. It stars Paul Dano, who played that irritating preacher kid Eli Sunday in There Will Be Blood and it’s the kind of role that makes you want to hug the actor. For Ellen [...]

Why Did He Kill All Those Children?

Phyllis Schlafly

http://www.eagleforum.org/publications/column/why-did-he-kill-all-those-children.html  The idea for massacring children in an elementary school or shooting up a mall filled with Christmas shoppers does not come from reading books, watching movies, or listening to music. Does the incitement for such unspeakable acts come from hours of role-playing violent video games? As we speculate on what was going on in [...]

Father knows best as single dads tackle the other glass ceiling

Marika Dobbin Reporter for The Age

  Dads’ group members Don Crinson (left) with son Merlin and James Vincent with daughter Ashley. Photo: James Boddington CHARLES Areni was shopping alone in a city department store between Monday meetings when he realised he was being watched. His three-year-old daughter Jacqueline was running low on underwear and he had stopped in to buy [...]

The Newtown, Connecticut Shooter: The Conversation You Won’t See Anywhere Else

Ned Holstein, MS, MD Founder & Chairman of the Board

After our tears dry for the twenty little darlings and seven others who were mowed down by Adam Lanza, we begin to ask “Why?” There is always a dominant narrative to explain the unthinkable. Now it is mostly about the absence of effective gun controls, or about mental illness. Or, we hear about the effects [...]

‘Drama queen’ wife loses custody case

JANET FIFE-YEOMANS, The Daily Telegraph rerun in the Brisbane Courier Mail

A MOTHER who claimed her husband had been sexually abusing himself in front of their three children has lost custody of them. A detective who investigated the claims said in a confidential email that the mother was “a drama queen who is out to get her ex-husband”. Police and child protection authorities had found the [...]

Child Support Agency routinely breaching the human rights of fathers (UK)

Marilyn Stowe Blog

  In a robust judgement sure to cause consternation, the Court of Appeal has condemned the Child Support Agency (CSA) for “obnoxious” and “unreasonable” legal failings in threatening fathers with jail without giving them the right to defend themselves. Sitting with the Lords Justice Patten and Richards, Lord Justice Ward said: “The procedures adopted do [...]

EDITORIAL: Families need action in courts

Editorial - Brisbane Courier Mail

    FAMILY Court Chief Justice Diana Bryant has been forced to make an awkward apology for hiring a comedy act that performed a lewd routine at a national law conference. Recommended Coverage Who paid for lewd act at Family Court meet? THE Family Court has been unable to say who paid for a lewd [...]