MOTHER HAPPY WITH GUILTY VERDICT AGAINST HER X

[AussieMark]

Mother relieved by Fraser verdict

First he drugged them with sedatives.

Then, as they struggled for their lives, he drowned his three young children in the bath.

A jury found Steven Anthony Fraser, 35, guilty of murdering his daughter Ashley, seven, and sons Ryan, five, and Jarrod, four, at his southern Sydney home between August 18 and August 20, 2001.

The children were on a custody visit at their father's Caringbah unit the weekend they were killed.

Fraser had pleaded not guilty to murder, claiming he was suffering from a mental disorder at the time of the killings.

But a NSW Supreme Court jury of eight men and four women took less than three hours to find him guilty of three counts of murder.

Fraser showed no reaction as the verdict was read out.

Outside the court, the children's emotional mother, Maria Chona Fraser, told reporters she was relieved by the guilty verdict.

Speaking through tears, she said: "It's justice for Ashley and Ryan and Jarrod."

During the nine-day trial, the Crown argued Fraser murdered the children to punish his estranged wife for not reconciling with him and for starting a new relationship.

He then attempted suicide by taking Mogadon - the same sedative he fed his children before drowning them.

Crown Prosecutor Mark Tedeschi, QC, told the court Fraser confessed the killings to police after he recovered in Sutherland Hospital from the attempted suicide.

He told officers how each of the children had struggled as he drowned them.

Mr Tedeschi said after the murders, Fraser set up a bizarre and disturbing scene in his flat.

Ryan's body was found on a mattress in the lounge room floor with the words "I love you Ryan RIP XO" written on his face in felt pen.

Jarrod's body was found upstairs on a double bed with "I love you Jarrod RIP M XXXO" written across his face.

Mr Tedeschi said Ashley was killed 24 hours after her brothers because she would not succumb to the sedatives.

"I gave her 15 tablets, she wanted to play," Mr Tedeschi said Fraser had told police after his attempted overdose.

Ashley struggled as her father tried to drown her so he gave her a kung-fu hit to the neck and strangled her.

The little girl's body was found in an upstairs bedroom with the words "there's no place like home" written on the wall.

Mr Tedeschi said Fraser expected his estranged wife to find the bodies of their children. Instead, his mother made the terrible discovery.

Ms Fraser said she was unsure how she would face a future without her children but would try to rebuild her life in their memory.

"I have to start picking up my life," she said.

"It's been really traumatic and I don't know how I'm going to be but I'll try, in memory of Ashley, Ryan and Jarrod.

"You're going to be proud of me. I love you, kids, you're forever in my heart."

[TexasStooge]

GOOD! I hope her Ex gets the death penalty.

[AussieMark]

Unfortanately here in Australia we have a joke of a Judicial System and i would not be <B>Suprised</B> if he got 10 years.

I know the death penalty is to permament and all but i wish we had it under our Judicial laws.

[GalvestonDuck]

Kangaroo court?

[AussieMark]

[Josephine96]

LOL Captain Kangaroo court lol