Drowning victim's grave desecrated
GRIEVING Laidley parents Andrew and Kat Plint already deal with trolls attacking them through the internet on a weekly basis, but now they are outraged their daughter's grave has been desecrated this week for the fourth time for no reason.
They do not have a plaque on the headstone, which has a blank sandstone marker with "purple rainbow" through it, because people with issues against the foundation set up in Hannah's name have already targeted her final resting place three times previously.
But Katherine Plint said this attack was random, resulting in more than 100 chips and scratches to the smooth sandstone, broken solar lights and missing mementos.
She said a stone mason suggested it might be cheaper to replace than repair.
Hannah was almost three when she died in her backyard pool five years ago.
Her parents have set up Hannah's Foundation to raise awareness about drowning prevention, aid coroner inquests into such deaths and give families someone to turn to when drowning strikes them.
Hannah's grave at Laidley cemetery was among 17 damaged during a rampage on Tuesday morning.
A 39-year-old Regency Downs woman has been charged with wilful damage and public nuisance.
She will appear in Gatton Magistrates Court on January 7.
"The other graves are just tragic too as we know they belong to the elderly.
"Trashing someone's grave, I can't fathom that. If you're angry at the world, smash your own house up," Mrs Plint said.
"I understand this woman had a mental illness, but you still know right from wrong.
"Grave trashing should have a mandatory sentence."
When it comes to trolls, they regularly deal with horrible emails, often from the same people. Most recently she received one suggesting "the best solution would be to push for a very lengthy gaol term for any parent or carer whose child drowns".
Mrs Plint responded with a lengthy email asking the person to read the foundation's campaign stressing supervision, among many other messages.
"I feel sorry for people such as you who wish to torment parents of a child who died through what police and coroners describe as tragic accidents," she said.
