FEARS FOR LITTLE AUSSIE MISSING IN BARCELONA
Aussie dad’s desperate flight to Spain to search for son and comfort wife
THERE are grave fears for a Sydney seven-year-old missing from the bloody Barcelona Islamic State terror rampage that has left his mother in an induced coma.
Julian Cadman’s frantic father Andrew – who found out about the attack on radio at 6am yesterday – was last night on a flight to Spain from Australia in a desperate bid to find his son and be by his wife Jom’s bedside.
The Lalor Park mother and son had been in Spain only a few days and are believed to have been separated when they were caught up in yesterday’s van attack, which killed more than a dozen people and injured more than 100 others in the popular Las Ramblas tourist boulevard.
Jom Cadman is one of two NSW women hospitalised after the brutal rampage, and among four Australians injured. Two Victorian men were also hurt but not hospitalised.
Mr Cadman’s boss Scott Bowman said that Jom and Julian were in Barcelona for a friend’s wedding. He said the cabinet-maker father-of-one was a “bloody mess” after initially finding out about the Barcelona attack at 6am yesterday over the radio at work. “He said, ‘I better ring my wife and see if she’s all right’. He couldn’t get on to her,” Mr Bowman said.
He said Jom, originally from the Philippines but who had been living in Lalor Park with her husband, was in an induced coma.
Julian attends St Bernadette’s Primary in Lalor Park and his mother’s Facebook page is littered with photos of him dressed up as Batman, a cowboy and practising archery.
“All that we’ve been told is that she is in a serious condition, she has got multiple fractures everywhere – arms, legs, severe facial injuries. She has suspected spinal injuries and possible internal injuries,” Mr Bowman said, adding that he was still hoping for the best.
“He started to get some sort of news … they had found his wife in hospital at 8.30am this morning, but they don’t know where Julian is … we still don’t know,” he said. “We don’t know if he is dead or alive at the moment.”
Julian’s aunt Hayley and grandfather Tony Cadman both posted desperate appeals online to help find Julian yesterday.
“My nephew Julian Cadman is missing. Please like and share,” Hayley said.
Catholic Education Parramatta Diocese executive director Greg Whitby said the St Bernadette’s community would support the family. “Like all Australians, we are hoping and praying that Julian is quickly found safe and well, that Mrs Cadman makes a full recovery, and that they are quickly reunited.
“Our hearts also go out to all other victims of the attack,” he said.
THEY HAD FOUND HIS WIFE IN HOSPITAL AT 8.30AM THIS MORNING, BUT THEY DON’T KNOW WHERE JULIAN IS … WE STILL DON’T KNOW. SCOTT BOWMAN