It is always tragic when a young child takes their own life. Hearing those stories can sometimes teach us lessons that must be learned but at other times, it is just a tragedy that makes us angry that it happened in the first place.
Annaliesse Ugle is an 11-year-old girl who died at Perth Children’s Hospital, in Australia. She took her own life, doing so after her accused rapist was set free. Now her mother is speaking out, saying her daughter had been ‘let down’. “She didn’t want to live in that town – she didn’t want to be there,” the mother told WA Today.
Annaliesse was airlifted to the hospital from rural Western Australia. She had injuries that, according to the police, were self-inflicted.
According to reports, the young girl had been abused by a 66-year-old man who lived in her town. It was a small gold mining town south of Perth and the abuse took place between 2014 and 2020.
He had been charged with four counts of sexually penetrating a child under the age of 13 but was freed on bail the same day he was charged. He also faces six charges of indecently dealing with a child under 13.
The child’s mother was heartbroken and said that her daughter, one of five siblings was happy and clever. She also had a strong desire to get away from that small community.
“They let my baby down, the police, the courts… she had a lovely personality, was bubbly and outgoing,” she told The West Australian.
That mother and others are now asking that bail laws be changed so that anyone who is accused of child sex offenses must stay in jail while they are awaiting trial.
According to Western Australia police, officers should not have provided that alleged rapist with his freedom.
Assistant Commissioner of Regional WA Jo McCabe said: “I’m here today to say that WA Police take ownership of any issues where we can prevent something like this from occurring again.”
Family members and those who wanted to support came to the hospital to pay their respects. Many of them continued to sleep in their cars overnight.
Let’s hope that they get this sorted out for the sake of the mother and those who need closure.