Family of three children 'run over by drunk driver' share heartbreaking statement
The parents of three kids killed in a car crash in Sydney’s northwest have issued a statement following the tragedy.
Sienna, 8, her sister Angelina, 12, and brother Antony Abdallah, 13 – along with their cousin, 11-year-old Veronique Sakr – died after they were allegedly hit by a car in Oatlands on Saturday night.
The parents of the three Abdallah children, Daniel and Leila, are understandably devastated over the crash.
Samuel William Davidson, 29, who was allegedly behind the wheel of the car, has been charged with 20 offences including four counts of manslaughter, dangerous driving occasioning death and grievous bodily harm, negligent driving and drink driving.
His case was heard at Parramatta Bail Court on Sunday. He did not appear in court and did not apply for bail, which was formally refused by magistrate John McIntosh.
Davidson is scheduled to return to Parramatta Local Court on April 2.
The funeral for the Abdallah siblings will be held at the Our Lady of Lebanon Co-Cathedral in Harris Park on Monday morning.
Daniel and Leila Abdallah’s heartbreak in their own words
On Saturday the 1st of February 2020 at approximately 7.50pm, our entire world came crumbling down with the senseless loss of three of our six children, Antony, Angelina and Sienna. A fourth child was also killed; our cousin Bridget Sakr’s daughter, Veronique.
To begin to encapsulate or express the heart-wrenching pain and sorrow we are experiencing in this time would require endless words of despair. This is an unimaginable tragedy; unfathomable beyond all description.
Our children are our reason for living. Bringing them up in accordance with the ways of God, teaching them to love, affording them every opportunity and nurturing them into positive and impacting young men and women was, and is, our life’s purpose.
What is life without your children. How and where do we begin to pick up the pieces so that we may be effective parents to our three remaining angels?
We start with forgiveness.
We forgive the driver that killed our innocent children. His actions will be met before the earthly and heavenly judge. We have decided, in our hearts to forgive him – for our sake, for the sake of our children and more so for Christ’s sake.
Our faith in Jesus Christ remains the foundation of our family and we believe it will continue to help us through this difficult time. Each day that passes is a day closer to the day we are reunited with our angels. We will look toward this moment; not backwards at yesterday’s pain.
As we’ve tried to make sense of the past week, the world too has been shaken by this mortifying event. It is our hope that through this, all will know that no matter the pain or despair, God will be a safeguard through this dark valley. He is in control, and eternity sits in the palm of his divine hand. Our life here on earth is but a vapour in comparison to his eternal plans, and the purpose God holds for his children.
We would like to thank our family, our friends, our community, and so many others from across Australia and the world, for the overwhelming support we have received.
We are humbled and strengthened by the outpouring of love from each and every one of you. Please continue to join us in prayer during this time. This is a very heavy cross that we’ve been chosen to carry, but it is through God’s love that we keep going.
May the Peace of God through Jesus Christ be with us all.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
