A father had an unexpected response when he was questioned about how much time the person responsible for his children’s deaths should serve in prison.
In 2020, Samuel Davidson was responsible for the deaths of four children from the same family.
Davidson was driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs when his car veered onto the sidewalk. This tragic incident instantly claimed the lives of siblings Antony, 13, Angelina, 12, and eight-year-old Sienna Abdallah, along with their cousin Veronique Sakr, 11.
The children were on their way to buy ice cream when the devastating event occurred five years ago in Oatlands, located in Sydney’s north-west.
While many parents would find it difficult to face the individual responsible for their children’s deaths, Danny Abdallah has visited Davidson in prison.
Davidson is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence, with the possibility of parole after 15 years. His original sentence was 28 years with a non-parole period of 21 years, but it was reduced in 2022 by the New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal.
In a recent appearance on a 7NEWS Spotlight segment, the grieving father was asked if he believed Davidson should remain in jail for the duration of his sentence.
“If it was up to me, I’ll bring him out tomorrow. I know the guy,” Abdallah replied.
“Justice is to have my kids back. That’s all. If you’ve got one day or you’ve got a hundred years, it’s not going to change how I feel.”
However, Davidson holds a different view.
He shared with the news outlet: “I don’t think I deserve that. It was an accident and I didn’t mean it, but I’m at fault and I’ve done that.
“I don’t believe I deserve any… [Abdallah] even talking to me was a blessing. I was just happy with that. He keeps amazing me. He’s just an incredible person and I just want to be everything like him.”
During the interview, Abdallah also mentioned that he has already forgiven Davidson for his actions following the convict’s repeated apologies to his family.
Abdallah’s wife, Leila, has previously expressed similar feelings about forgiving Davidson.
“Danny and my family we try our best not to hate,” she told news.com.au. “We get angry of course, we get upset. We are broken from what happened and we will never recover but we try not to hold grudges, or hold onto hate.”
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact The Compassionate Friends on (877) 969-0010.