News

Queenie’s grandfather asked for the death penalty on learning of her death

Jan 09, 2016

The grandfather of the two-month old baby girl known as Queenie who was fatally stabbed in Brisbane this week has asked his lawyer for the death penalty, however we are no closer to understanding what could possibly have prompted the alleged attack on his defenceless baby granddaughter.

Qianqian “Queenie” Xu died in hospital after her grandfather allegedly stabbed her, as well as his wife and daughter, Queenie’s mother. So far, no one has been able to comprehend the incident, with members of the family’s community expressing their disbelief that this “kind, loving” grandfather could do such a thing.

The incident eerily echoes that of the Port Lincoln father who police now say shot his children and himself before driving them into the sea.

How can it be that these two men who were one moment coping okay with life could find themselves is such a dark place that they could commit these acts? It’s enough to make you question what you really know about your loved ones.

Everyone goes through rough patches, and many people struggle with dark depressions and mental health conditions. But when such violent actions occur, including suicides, we can’t help wondering: were there signs? Could someone have guessed the danger ahead?

The compulsion of men to commit violence against themselves is one thing, but when they decide to take innocents with them, it is simply incomprehensible. Trying to to understand how a grandfather could possibly harm his baby granddaughter is impossible.

So far, all we know is that the grandfather was visiting from China, meeting his baby granddaughter for the first time, and that when he awoke in hospital and learned of her death, he asked his lawyer for the death penalty, as reported by the ABC.

His daughter and wife remain in hospital with knife wounds and are reportedly struggling to come terms with the death of baby Queenie. One can only imagine what her parents are going through right now.

Is it time we put male mental health back in the spotlight? Could these tragedies have been prevented?