In loving memory of a father lost... 

David was a loving father to his daughter Isabela and son Timothy. He worked hard to support his family so he, the children, and his wife Betty could live in comfort.

One evening, David arrived home from work just after 6:30. His heart skipped a beat when he saw a police car in the front driveway. ‘Was someone hurt?’ ‘was there a robbery?’ his mind raced as he hurried to the front door.

Two police officers greeted him. ‘Are you Mr Jones?’

‘Yes,’ David said.

‘Mr Jones, we need to inform you that you will no longer be permitted to stay in this residence. You may collect your belongings and we will escort you out.’

Friday evening David returned to his home but made sure to park a bit up the street. The police had cautioned him not to go near the home or he would be arrested. ‘Dam it! I’ve been working my butt off for ten years to pay for this home.’

A red sports car pulled into the driveway of Dave’s house. A middle-aged man got out with a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. 

Despite Dave’s exhaustion after spending a sleepless night on his friends John’s couch, he was wide awake now.

Betty greeted him the man at the door with a passionate kiss on the lips.

David swore.

When he drove past the home on Saturday morning, the red sports car was still parked in the driveway. ‘The bitch. She’s screwing him in our bed.’

The next six months were hell for David. While Betty lived in the luxurious family home shacking up with the guy she had been having an affair with, David was struggling to pay rent for a small apartment. After he lost his job because he could no longer focus, he could not afford to pay the rent and was sleeping on a mate’s couch. However, the child Support Administration accused him of quitting his job, kept billing him as if he were earning over a hundred thousand dollars per year, and when he could not pay anything they garnished his bank accounts to zero.

David was in and out of court defending himself on all the fabricated allegations of domestic violence and child abuse. Betty wanted him to have only supervised visitation which in his mind was absurd, and then she would not let him see the children. Then there was the alleged breach of the Interim domestic violence order because he had sent her some messaged saying he wanted to see the children. This resulted in him being arrested and spending a night in jail.

David a once proud and loving father dedicated to his family, a hard worker, and good mate to many, ended his life on 27 March 2017. He was found dead at the bottom of a cliff. 

In his pocket a handwritten note was found:

Dear Father,

I know I am not the first person to have experienced the pain of being separated from my children, losing everything and made a criminal. Many have come before me, yet I pray there will not be many after.

I loved my children Isabella and Timothy and feel sad that I will not be there for them as they grow up. Yet I will look down from heaven and guide them in spirit. I am sorry I could no longer take the pain and mental anguish.

Please dear father, please do what you can to fix this system so that my story is not repeated.

-David