Living in fear

By Casey Neill
A BORONIA single mother of six is ‘living in fear’ after her car was torched just metres from her bedroom.
Debbie Fitzgerald said the terrifying attack at her Herbert Street home just over a week ago had left her unable to sleep.
Ms Fitzgerald went to bed at about 10pm on Friday 15 February and woke shortly before midnight to a strange sound.
“I lay there for a couple of seconds and then I got up and I opened up my blind and I saw the whole back of the car on fire and my first instincts were ‘get the kids out’,” she said.
Ms Fitzgerald took her children, three of whom have disabilities, into the backyard of her home of five years and called 000.
The fire brigade arrived and extinguished the fire but the 2000 Hyundai station wagon was damaged beyond repair.
Ms Fitzgerald said she was worried those responsible may return.
“I’m living in fear,” she said.
The medication to control her heart palpitations had stopped working “because I’m on the edge”, she said.
“I feel like packing up and moving.”
Ms Fitzgerald said her children, ranging in age from four to 19 years, were scared and also wanted to move.
She said she had no idea why someone would target her.
The donation of a new car was a blessing but it could not help her sleep.
“I can’t believe all these people have helped me out, but it doesn’t change what happened.”
The $40,000 Hyundai people mover was donated by Melbourne City Hyundai through a radio station promotion.
Listeners also pledged $15,000 to pay off what remained of the loan for the destroyed car.
“It makes life easier. It doesn’t outweigh the fear,” she said. “I just wish they’d find them.”
Knox CIU Detective Senior Constable Robert Baker said that there had been no developments in the case.
“It’s a cowardly attack. It’s midnight when everyone’s asleep, the house is in darkness and, obviously, there’s no good reason for any of this sort of conduct to occur in a civilised society,” he said.
“We would obviously like to identify those persons responsible and to try and seek some form of closure for this lady and to prevent this happening again.”
Det Snr Const Baker said Ms Fitzgerald was not the attackers’ intended target.
He said police believed those responsible were locals or were known to people in the area.
He said the consequences of the blaze could have been far greater.
“Had the lady not woken up we don’t know how hard the fire would have gone and whether the house would have caught fire as a result of it,” he said.
The detective said there was evidence of the use of an accelerant but the type of accelerant had not yet been identified.
Anyone who saw anything suspicious on the night or who has any information regarding the fire is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.