Support is growing for the grieving mother of a “beautiful, joyful and adored” little boy killed in a “cowardly act of violence” by his father in a suspected murder-suicide. Two-year-old Rowan and his dad James Harrison, 38, were found dead inside a unit in East Lismore, NSW by police alerted when the toddler did not return home from a planned custody visit on Sunday afternoon. The boy’s mother Dr Sophie Roome revealed their family were facing “incomprehensible grief” and said “there are no possible excuses for this hurt” .
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Family friend Belinda Olding has launched a fundraiser in Rowan’s honour, saying the money could be used in a number of ways to support his mum. “Rowan’s family are devastated. No child should be killed by those who are meant to love and protect them,” Olding said.
“This is a fund set up for Sophie to use in any way she sees fit. It may be for a memorial, donation to a charity, personal use or to assist in trying to change the horror that is domestic violence.” Olding’s $5,000 “memorial fund” target has been surpassed by a wave of donations, with the total raised soaring to about $76,000 as of Friday.
More than 800 individual donors have contributed. The nature of Rowan’s death shocked the community and authorities, who are treating it as a murder-suicide. “A more tragic event you wouldn’t come across .
.. it’s very sad and that’s a matter now being investigated a.
