Latest news with #Oatlands
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Watch the tense moment a father comes face to face with the monster who killed his three kids in the Oatlands crash tragedy - and his VERY surprising reaction
The father of three children tragically killed when a drunk driver ploughed into them in the Sydney suburb of Oatlands has met their killer behind bars. Danny Abdallah embraced Samuel William Davidson - a man who was drunk, high on drugs and speeding when he hit a group of seven children out getting ice cream - as the two met inside Cessnock Correctional Centre for a Spotlight interview. Abdallah siblings Sienna, 8, Angelina, 12 and Antony, 13, along with their cousin Veronique Sakr, 11, were killed instantly in the crash while another in the group of seven, Charbel Kassas, 11, was badly injured and spent two months in a coma. Danny and his wife Leila have previously explained how they forgave Davidson so as not to 'hold onto hate' for the the sake of their remaining children but just how deep that runs was revealed in the extraordinary meeting. Davidson had been sentenced to 20 years in prison with a non-parole period of 15 year but Danny revealed that, if it were up to him, he would see him released tomorrow. 'Whether it's 100 years or one day, it's not going to make me feel any different,' Danny said. He explained his focus was on his children and that whether Davidson was in jail or not made no difference but that he understood 'justice was more for the community to see that this type of behaviour is punished'. Danny prayed with Davidson while visiting him in jail after having previously revealed how he converted to Maronite Catholicism, which Danny's family follow. Davidson also apologised to Danny, his family, emergency service workers who attended the scene, neighbours who witnessed the crash and the wider community before he shared a warning to not get behind the wheel while intoxicated.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Oatlands crash driver makes candid admission from behind bars after his car mounted the kerb and killed four children
A Sydney man who killed four children while driving drunk has claimed the one thing he most looks forward to doing when freed from jail is opening a door by himself. In February 2020, Samuel William Davidson mowed down seven children after his out-of-control ute mounted a footpath in Oatlands, in Sydney's west. Four of the children - siblings Siennah, 8, Angelina, 12 and Antony Abdallah, 12 and their cousin Veronique Sakr, 11 - were killed instantly while another, Charbel Kassas, 11, was badly injured and spent two months in a coma. They were on their way to buy ice-cream when Davidson mowed them down en route to a nearby service station. Davidson had a blood alcohol content three times the legal limit and had cocaine and MDMA in his system at the time of the crash. He pleaded guilty to four counts of manslaughter among other charges and is serving 20 years behind bars having had his sentence reduced from 28 years on appeal. For the first time since the incident, Davidson, now 34, has spoken on camera about the events leading up to the incident in an interview with Seven News' Spotlight. The events of the day were 'blurry', he said, but he recalled waiting 'forever' for a light to turn green before running the red and losing control of the vehicle. 'I had no control because of the intoxication… I've taken the corner so fast, not even a race car driver could have pulled that off in a professional car,' he added, according to the Sunday Telegraph. 'When I got out it was horrible, there were dead bodies… It was horrible.' In the interview, which will air on Sunday, Davidson meets with Danny Abdallah, the father of three of the children he killed, inside Cessnock jail maximum security. While the pair speak regularly and Mr Abdallah and his wife Leila have been open about their decision to forgive Davidson, this is the first time the public will see the two men interact. Mr Abdallah said he wanted to tell Davidson about his children and deliver 'an important message'. Davidson also opened up about his hard-drinking lifestyle before the incident, pledging those days were behind him. 'It's a shame that I had to enjoy life under the influence of alcohol or anything like that to enjoy it, because I can tell you my thoughts about that are completely different now,' he told the program. Davidson, who spends up to 17 hours a day inside his cell, said it was important to him to keep a clean cell, the way he would at home. 'I do try and keep it that way because I just think it looks better and yeah, it just makes it more homely. Yeah, I was like that on the outside too,' he told the program. With a decade still to serve, Davidson said he longed to be able to open and close a door for himself when he is finally freed from custody. 'I've had a dream where I was waiting for a door to open at home. At home you just open a door, you know what I mean?' he told the program. 'Here you've got to wait for a door … freely opening it – I can't wait,' he said. Mr Abdallah has attributed his decision to forgive Davidson to his Christian faith but added it was necessary for the sake of his marriage and surviving children. 'At the end of the day, I've still got three other kids. I need to be a father too and I need to be a husband to my wife, and it's already hard enough,' he told KIIS FM's The Kyle & Jackie O on Friday. As for his own family, Davidson said his parents visit him most weekends, but he struggles with the possibility they may no longer be around when he is released. 'I love every second I get with them,' he said.
News.com.au
2 days ago
- News.com.au
‘I can't wait': How Oatlands killer Samuel Davidson spends his days in jail
A drunk and drugged driver who killed four children in a tragedy that shocked the nation now spends 17 hours a day locked inside his cell in one of Australia's highest-security prisons, a new documentary has revealed. Samuel William Davidson pleaded guilty to four counts of manslaughter after siblings Antony, 13, Angelina, 12, and Sienna Abdallah, 8, and their cousin Veronique Sakr, 11, were killed in February 2020 when the out-of-control ute Davidson was driving mounted a footpath in Oatlands, in Sydney's west. The young children were on their way to buy ice-creams at the time. Davidson, who was under the influence of drugs and alcohol, was driving to a nearby service station. Davidson was initially sentenced to 28 years in jail after pleading guilty in 2021. He was given a non-parole period of 21 years; however, that was reduced to 15 years after his lawyers won an appeal. For the first time since the incident, the 34-year-old will speak on camera about his life in Cessnock jail, 151km northwest of Sydney, and share the simple task he 'can't wait' to do when he is released, in Sunday night's episode of 7NEWS Spotlight. In the program, Davidson, who appears clean-shaven with a crucifix around his neck, says he keeps his second floor prison cell clean, The Daily Telegraph reports. It's here – cell 428 – where he spends 17 hours of his day, according to the publication. He is locked inside from 3.15pm each day. With his life in prison so restrictive, Davidson said he is looking forward to being able to open a door for himself when he is released in over a decade time. 'I've had a dream where I was waiting for a door to open at home. At home you just open a door, you know what I mean?' he told the program. 'Here you've got to wait for a door … freely opening it – I can't wait,' he said. In another clip, Davidson is seen dressed in hi-vis clothing while mowing the lawn – his job inside the prison. Davidson is visited by his parents most weekends but, according to Corrective Services, he worries they may pass before he is released. 'I love every second I get with them,' Davidson said. Killer sits down with the victims' father The documentary will also see Davidson sit down with Danny Abdallah – the father of Antony, Angelina, and Sienna – in front of cameras. The pair have had numerous conversations in the years since the tragedy. But, for the first time, Australians will witness such a meeting between the two men. Mr Abdallah and his wife, Leila, have spoken openly about their decision to forgive Davidson, dedicating their lives to promoting the remarkable act in honour of their children. In a preview of the episode, Mr Abdallah said he had 'a very special message' for Davidson. 'I wanted to meet him. I wanted to tell him about my kids,' he added. While Davidson, asked if he ever thought about Antony, Angelina, Sienna and Veronique, said he does 'all the time. All the time'. According to Spotlight, Davidson is set to give 'new revelations about the reasons behind his actions and the devastating consequences that followed'. Sharing his journey to forgiving Davidson, Mr Abdallah told Sky News in 2023 said that during his first visit at the prison, 'I could see the remorse'. 'It's just really heavy … I looked at it this way. No one has impacted by life, outside of my parents, my wife and my kids – no one's changed my life more than this man,' he said. 'I'm a confrontational kind of person and I wanted to see who he was and I wanted to tell him all about who my kids were. 'For me, it gave me – not closure – but it helped me move along in my life through the journey that I'm in.' When he and Leila welcomed their eighth child last April, Mr Abdallah told The Daily Telegraph he received a call from Davidson congratulating the couple. 'There are no winners in this, in any tragedy like this, so all we can do is show forgiveness, move forward in the best way we can and try to find joy in the midst of pain,' he said. 'Samuel's parents gave me a call and said congratulations on the new baby and I said thank you. 'The driver rang me from jail the next day and said congratulations and that he was thinking of us and I told him he and his family are in my prayers.'
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Daily Mail
Danny Abdallah opens up about forgiving the drunk driver who killed three of his children for the sake of his marriage
A heartbroken father whose three children were killed when a drunk driver crashed into them has opened up about forgiving the offender for the sake of his marriage. Danny and Leila Abdallah's daughters, Sienna, 8, and Angelina, 12, their son Anthony, 13, and niece Veronique Sakr, 11, were fatally hit by a car on February 1, 2020. The four children, along with three other siblings and cousins, were walking on the footpath, along Bettington Road in Sydney 's north-west suburb of Oatlands, when a ute mounted the kerb and struck them from behind. Behind the wheel was Samuel Davidson, who was drunk and high on drugs when he lost control of his vehicle and ploughed into them. Davidson is serving 20 years behind bars having had his sentence reduced from 28 years on appeal. Speaking with KIIS FM's The Kyle & Jackie O on Friday, Mr Abdallah attributed his and his wife's forgiveness to their Christian faith. But Mr Abdallah added that he has forgiven Davidson for the sake of his marriage and his surviving children. 'At the end of the day, I've still got three other kids. I need to be a father too and I need to be a husband to my wife, and it's already hard enough,' Mr Abdallah said. 'They reckon 65 per cent of marriages fail after losing one child, let alone three. So every decision wasn't about me, it was about them. 'Do I pour bitterness, anger and revenge, or love, compassion and forgiveness? Because whatever I give, it'll affect everyone in that circle.' Mr Abdallah explained the death of his children taught him the 'science behind forgiveness' and why it was important for his family. 'Faith is faith. Everyone has it in every faith, you've got to forgive, but no one understands why,' he said. 'But now I understand that forgiveness is a gift that you give your family, you give your kids, because kids do what you do. 'It's an important tool to equip your life with if you want to have a beautiful home.' When asked whether the couple allows their surviving children to venture down the road on their own, Mr Abdallah said he did not want them to live in fear. 'It's not that hard with my boys. [My 11-year-old] went for a bit of a bike ride down the road and back,' Mr Abdallah said. Mr Abdallah's most recent discussion with Davidson will air on Seven's Spotlight on Sunday 'I can't live my life for them to just make them feel afraid. They just went for a walk.' Mr Abdallah previously revealed that not only have he and Davidson spoken, but the pair now speak every month. He said Davidson always asks him about his surviving children and his wife Leila, who recently gave birth to their eighth child. His most recent visit with Davidson was with a television crew from Seven's Spotlight, with the recorded interview due to air on Sunday. Mr Abdallah said he wanted to show the world what his discussions with Davidson involved and that he was not a monster. 'I never thought of the character of the person. I chose to forgive him early in the piece and focus on my family,' he said. 'It was just three years later when I decided to visit him. I realised this guy could have been my son, could have been my mate. 'You see things in a greater perspective. It's not just you've done wrong by me but what's going on? What's happened to his family? And you look at things in a different light.' After the tragedy, Leila and Danny set up the i4give foundation to honour their children and their niece. The foundation, which has an i4give day on February 1 every year, is aimed at engaging communities across Australia in a 'shared embrace of the universal good of forgiveness'. 'Anything you do in life is a choice, not a feeling,' Mr Abdallah said. 'Whether it's going to the gym, whether it's anything you do, and that's the same as forgiveness. It's not a feeling. It's a choice that you have to make.' The Abdallah and Sakr families in 2024 unveiled a permanent memorial to their children at the crash site outside Oatlands Golf Club. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his predecessor Scott Morrison were there, as were NSW Premier Chris Minns and former premier Dominic Perrottet, all of whom have all spent time with the family since the tragedy. Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Abdallah thanked his wife for being his 'pillar of strength' as they revealed four sandstone plinths featuring each of the children's faces.
Daily Mail
10-08-2025
- Daily Mail
Face to face with the drug-fuelled monster who killed his three kids: Father who lost his world in Oatlands crash tragedy goes behind bars to confront one of Australia's most hated men
A father who lost three of his children and a niece in one awful tragedy has courageously ventured behind bars to confront their killer in person. Danny and Leila Abdallah endured every parent's worst nightmare when their children went out for ice cream and didn't make it back alive. Siblings Anthony, 13, Angelina, 12, and Sienna, eight, along with their cousin Veronique Sakr, 11, were killed instantly when a ute mounted the sidewalk in Oatlands, western Sydney, on February 1, 2020. Behind the wheel was Samuel Davidson, who was drunk and high on drugs when he lost control of the vehicle and ploughed into them. There were three other children in the group of seven who were injured. Davidson is serving 20 years behind bars - having had his sentence reduced from 28 years on appeal - and Mr Abdallah recently visited him for a recorded interview. This is not the first time the pair have spoken as Mr Abdallah previously revealed that he has not only forgiven Davidson, but that they talk every month. The only difference being their conversations have never been shown to the public until now. Mr Abdallah previously revealed Davidson always asks him about his surviving children and his wife Leila who recently gave birth to the couple's eighth child. The pair's forgiveness has not only stunned Australia but also Davidson himself. The deeply religious couple founded i4give day on February 1 each year. Mr Abdallah previously said that, along with his faith, his main reason for forgiveness was to not hold onto 'revenge and bitterness and anger' that would only hurt his family further. 'I've still got other kids I need to raise and make sure that they have the best environment at home.' In venturing into prison again, on this ocassion with a crew from Seven's Spotlight, Mr Abdallah said he wanted to show the world what these talks between himself and Davidson involved. 'I wanted to meet [Davidson] to tell him about my kids (sic),' Mr Abdallah said on the way to the prison. 'I have a very special message for him.' Davidson, who has converted to become a Maronite Catholic courtesy of the Abdallah's influence, admitted to thinking about the children he had killed 'every day' and spoke about what led to him getting in his ute while under the influence. Mr Abdallah said he initially began speaking with Davidson because he 'needed closure'. He said he liked 'confrontation' and needed Davidson to know who he was and the hurt he had caused the family and why they had chosen to forgive him. The Abdallah and Sakr families in 2024 unveiled a permanent memorial to their children at the crash site outside Oatlands Golf Club. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his predecessor Scott Morrison were there, as were NSW Premier Chris Minns and former premier Dominic Perrottet, all of whom have all spent time with the family since the tragedy. Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Abdallah thanked his wife for being his 'pillar of strength' as they revealed four sandstone plinths featuring each of the children's faces. 'Leila, thank you for being a pillar of strength and carrying your grief with grace and dignity,' he said. 'I remember coming here the day after the tragedy and the days ahead every morning at sunrise, I was a broken man in tears asking God why? 'And then a family member came to me and said ''Danny stop asking why and start asking how''.' Mr Abdallah has spent 10 minutes talking to Davidson every month since the unveiling and has said each is 'just a very simple conversation ... It's all pretty personal'. The pair's taped interview will be broadcast on August 18.
