‘HE’S NOT A MURDERER’
Aheroic grandma who tried to save her five-year-old grandson after he was stabbed in bed – allegedly at the hands of his mentally ill father – has opened up about the horrific moment she found him.
Brave Joy discovered the boy clinging to life after dropping his mother Thatsanee, a nurse, off at work. In a tearful interview with Seven News, she described how her 36-year-old son – the alleged killer, who cannot be named for legal reasons – seemed oblivious to what was happening.
‘As I got the baby, he says so casually: “I’ll open the door for you,” like I was carrying a bag of shopping and not his son,’ a tearful Joy wept.
Joy bundled up her dying grandson and drove him away, before stopping to call for help. Despite her actions, he died in hospital. But Thatsanee has spoken out in support of her son’s father. ‘He would not do anything against that boy,’ the mum told Seven.
‘He’s not the murderer,’ Joy agrees.
Thatsanee instead blames the health system for repeatedly failing her partner – who has been charged with murder.
The accused killer has a long history of mental health issues and it’s understood he was discharged from hospital weeks earlier, with medication his family say exacerbated his condition. The family say they begged Hornsby Hospital to readmit him, but claim he was turned away because there were no beds.
Instead, they say, he was sent away with stronger medication, which sent him spiralling. Health authorities are ‘undertaking a full investigation’, but have denied beds at the hospital were closed.
Seven News senior reporter Robert Ovadia told New Idea: ‘Joy is struggling, not only has she got to live with that horrific visual of having to cope with saving her grandson’s life, she now finds herself living with irrational guilt that she somehow could have done more to save him.’
Speaking of Thatsanee, Robert told New Idea: ‘The fact that this mum came out so unequivocally and immediately, and said she still loved her partner and she was desperately sorry for him... just goes to show the strength of feeling that she feels he is as much a victim of this as her own son.’
Thatsanee wants her son to be remembered for the beautiful boy she knew and loved.
‘HE SAYS SO CASUALLY: “I’LL OPEN THE DOOR FOR YOU,” LIKE I WAS CARRYING A BAG OF SHOPPING’