'I'm here to tell you I'm a fighter': The heartbreaking moment a 13-yr-old girl confronts dad who murdered her mom
Warning: Graphic content, readers’ discretion advised
PHILLIP ISLAND, VICTORIA: Adrian Basham murdered his wife, Samantha Fraser, in 2018 and made it look like a suicide. Her beaten-up body was found hanging in the garage of her parents' Phillip Island home the but Fraser's dedication toward her children helped rule out suicide. Adrian's case was further weakened when DNA evidence was found under both fingernails of Fraser's hands. Now, their daughter has confronted him in court during a pre-sentence hearing.
Thirteen-year-old Jemima stood before the Supreme Court of Victoria and told her father, "I'm here to tell you I'm a fighter". He had long denied killing his wife till the jury found him guilty. Jemima gathered the courage to condemn her father's actions and said, "I have struggled with anxiety and even suicidal thoughts, but I am here today to show people that I am a fighter and we will get justice for my mum." She further explained how she has been treated by her peers as they claim Jemima killed her own mother for getting attention, as reported by Daily Mail.
RELATED ARTICLES
Jemima continued, "To get justice for the life mum deserved. For my friends and family ... For me. I have struggled ... in the years since mum was taken. And even with the support it is so unimaginably hard. He murdered my mum. He took Sammy's life and in doing so destroyed so many others. Just the thought that even with the limitless amount of love my mum had from everyone in her life, she could be taken away in minutes is nauseating." She continued, "And to be here in court because it's true is something else. I had my whole life ripped away. I lost my mum, a dad, my social life and a chance at a normal future. Jemima was nine at the time Adrian murdered her mother.
Samantha Fraser's murder staged to look like suicide
At the time of the incident, Adrian rushed to his father’s Paynesville home, east of Phillip Island, on his motorbike at 200km/h. His father, James Basham, told the Supreme Court of Victoria in April, “He was tired after what I understood to be a long ride.” James continued explaining the origin of the cut which the police believe was made by Fraser. He continued, “I can’t remember the exact words but he indicated that he might have got it on a walk that he apparently had during his ride.” Talking about the speed at which Adrian rode his bike, James said, “He told me a number and I cannot remember the number, but I regarded it as astronomical speeds, it scared me.” The father told how Adrian wanted to take his own life, “He mentioned that he felt suicidal.”
During the court hearing in April, Detective Sergeant Andrew Spooner shared the disturbing evidence which explained the discovery of Fraser's body. Sergeant Spooner told the court, "I observed there was a rope tied around her neck with a large knot to the rear... her right cheek, eye area appeared to be swollen. Her hair appeared to be wet and some had fallen forward across her face. I observed a reddish purple mark running across her head from above her right eye." He also spotted dry blood around both Fraser's nose and mouth.