Murder suicide: A mother's pain

The mother of the two little boys who were killed in a murder-suicide on Monday by their father, has said she forgives her husband.

Melissa Little paid tribute to her precious boys and her childhood sweetheart in a 222 word statement released to media outlets yesterday.

According to The Daily Telegraph, Melissa said that words cannot express the pain she has felt since her husband and children died in the killings at Port Lincoln.

“My two precious boys have left this world way too soon and my heart is broken,” she said in her statement, “I will miss them and think about them each and every day. Their futures were full of endless possibilities. Koda had the biggest heart, so loving and caring. He always loved a hug, had so much enthusiasm and was a willing helper.

“Hunter was such a happy, content and smiling baby. his laughter was infectious and his cheeky little personality was just beginning to emerge.”

Melissa’s statement went on to pay tribute to her husband whom she had married in 2007.

“Damien was my childhood sweetheart who became my loving husband,” she wrote, “he was also a father who loved his two children very much. Damien valued and appreciated our close-knit family. He put us first, we were his whole world.”

“Damien, I loved you so much you have left a huge hole in my heart, our memories I will cherish forever. I hope you will be remembered as a well-respected and valued member of our family and our community.”

The Daily Telegraph reports that yesterday the police revealed the basic facts surrounding the case to avoid ‘unnecessary speculation in the community.’

“Autopsies have revealed Mrs Little’s young children suffered gunshot wounds prior to entering the water, as did Mr Little prior to driving off the wharf,” Superintendent Paul Yeomans told reporters in a recent press conference, “The coronial investigation is still ongoing and issues including domestic violence and mental health will form part of that report to the Coroner.

“These are simply tragic circumstances…we take this opportunity to offer our sympathy to all concerned.”

If the issues contained in this article have raised any concerns for you or for someone you know, please contact Lifeline on: 13 11 14.

17 Comments

- - serotonin said
  - 01 Feb 2016
    11:42 pm
These are the types of stories I hate seeing. Things like this shouldn’t happen, and I can only imagine the pain this woman is going through. I can think of nothing worse than losing the loves of your life in such a brutal way. Makes me appreciate what I have even more.

- - june11 said
  - 10 Jan 2016
    11:17 pm
In one report I read it stated that they were in the process of a separation. Maybe that was the final straw for him. Most cases the Mum gets custody of the children unless the family Court decides otherwise. Maybe his wife had tried all other options to get him to seek help. It is very tragic, but perhaps even more so becuase he took the lives of his children too.

- - curlytops said
  - 10 Jan 2016
    6:56 pm
so tragic when a life ends so young.

- - mom74640 said
  - 10 Jan 2016
    11:22 am
Lke if

- - coastalkaryn said
  - 10 Jan 2016
    7:11 am
utterly heart breaking – I had a friend that took his own life and his wife and two babies found his body… he was the nicest man, but the stresses of living were to great for him. Bless the family and friends and l hope they remember the many precious memories they shared together x

- - Nas01 said
  - 10 Jan 2016
    12:08 am
It’s heartbreaking..I really feel for this mum, may she find strength in this awful hard time.

- - mum4107 said
  - 09 Jan 2016
    10:07 pm
So very very sad. She must be in so much shock. I can’t imagine I could ever forgive if I was in the same situation

- - mom170057 said
  - 09 Jan 2016
    5:38 pm
We really don’t know the true story behind this! Recently I had a male friend comitt suicide. After the fact we all heard he was being abused by his wife. Funny how people think it’s the male that was volient. She is still alive he is not! Just a thought! All is just so very sad no Matter what happened!

- - mom160421 said
  - 09 Jan 2016
    4:16 pm
The article mentions domestic violence as part of the coronial inquest, and it makes me wonder whether this young Mum had enough support to deal with a husband who may have been violent towards her and certainly had issues he needed to deal with. She must be in shock and I hope she gets the counselling and support she needs to cope with her loss.

- - mom93821 said
  - 09 Jan 2016
    3:48 pm
A devastating and completely unimaginable tragedy.

- - Mummytoabeautifulprincess said
  - 09 Jan 2016
    2:42 pm
This is so so sad. I really feel for the poor mum.

- - mom90758 said
  - 09 Jan 2016
    2:25 pm
Everything is so sad. Poor woman. It must be so painful to think about her kids and all the past she shared with her husband.

- - mom94125 said
  - 09 Jan 2016
    1:38 pm
i just feel so sad about this all. i can’t imagine the pain, that the mother is in. such a terrible thing. i hope that she has all the support that she needs at this time. it is a real shame that he didn’t get help that he needed but i sure can’t understand why he did that to his kids.

- - mom74640 said
  - 09 Jan 2016
    12:45 pm
Lke it

- - mom170044 said
  - 09 Jan 2016
    11:30 am
So very sad. I feel very strongly about mental health. People cope with life very differently from one another. Never judge or blame a person for their coping mechanism. From alcohol to food, drugs to suicide, all tragic in their own way and unfortunately, all are still an ever present part of our society. The govt needs to get real and allocate REAL funds towards helping people with mental illness and addictions.

- - mom165081 said
  - 09 Jan 2016
    10:25 am
Losing your family this way is uttety incomprehensible. Such beautiful words. I hope she gets as much support and care as she needs to help her through this very difficult time.

- - aprilb1 said
  - 09 Jan 2016
    9:41 am
So sad, i can’t even imagine what she is feeling