Mrs. Roberts from Staffordshire live in the next door apartment. She wasn’t exactly privy to the goings on in her neighbor’s home, but what she did know was that the young couple next door often fought, and they had a 21-month-old daughter.
On the day she left her house to do some shopping, she didn’t know when she came back the police would knock against her door and ask some questions.
READ: 5 types of abuse in relationships
What they were after wasn’t her, but her neighbor. It seemed that a murder had occurred next door: The police found the toddler dead, having been murdered by her parents.
Mrs. Roberts told the police that Matthew Rigby and his girlfriend Kathryn Smith constantly fought, and that she always heard noises on the next door.
In fact a few days ago she heard something disturbing: “I heard what sounded like an argument, and screaming, then I heard what I thought was a child’s voice.”
It was a short, different voice, and sounded young. I could hear the voice say ‘stop mummy, stop daddy’ and sounded upset.”
Dr Alexander Kolar, a pathologist who conducted a post-mortem on the toddler, revealed that Ayeesha suffered from blunt force trauma and had 16 injuries in total, including three broken ribs.
READ: Man Purposely Crushes Infant to Death with His Own Foot
“I would expect these sorts of injuries to occur from severe trauma to the chest or torso similar to that of a victim of a road traffic collision or a fall from a height,” he said.
He also believed that she had been subjected to a very significant trauma to the rear of her body resulting in a fatal chest injury, and that it was non-accidental.
According to reports, conditions in the Rigby-Smith household had been turbulent for a long time, and Ayeesha had been taken into care by social services for a period because they were worried of her.
She was returned to her mother’s care six months before her death, however.
Neither Smith nor Rigby has admitted to murdering their daughter, and their trial is still ongoing.
Eavesdropping for a good cause
The goings on in another family’s life is not anyone’s concern but theirs, except when it endangers the lives of its members. If such is the case, then it’s perfectly fine to press your ear against the wall and look for signs of trouble, particularly of abuse.
If you find yourself in Mrs. Roberts’s shoes, there are things you can do to help. You can talk to other neighbors and see if they share the same concerns. It’s better to have more witnesses at your disposal. Then, once you’re convinced that something wrong is going on, it’s time to call the authorities.
Here are some useful numbers that might come in handy:
Emergency services
112 or 911
Philippine National Police (PNP)
117 or 168
Philippine Red Cross
Hotline: 143, (02) 527-0000, (02) 527-8385 to 95
Disaster Management Office: 134 (Staff), 132 (Manager), 133 (Radio Room)
Telefax: 527-0864
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