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A mother of four has been killed by her estranged husband just two weeks after he was released on bail over a raft of domestic violence charges. Teresa Bradford’s children found their bodies in her Gold Coast home early on Tuesday morning, reports the Brisbane Times.
David Bradford, 52, was released on bail, despite knocking his wife unconscious, dragging her across the room and gaffer-taping her mouth shut on November 28 last year. This was explicitly against the objections of police, reports news.com.au, who pointed to his “fragile mental state”. Among his bail conditions were that Bradford stay 100 metres away from his wife.
He broke into Teresa’s home early on Tuesday morning and stabbed her to death before taking his own life. The couple’s children ran to neighbours for help.
Her friends told the Brisbane Times that the 40 year old was “terrified” but keen to move on, studying nursing at Griffith University, despite a back injury sustained during one brutal attack.
“She was trying to protect [her children] from what was going on at home and provide for them, trying to get nursing done so she could provide a good life for them,” friend Rebecca Degraaf said. “She was really trying to hold it together for them.”
Worried that her husband would attack her again, she was trying to find somewhere else to live.
DV Connect chief executive officer Diane Mangan told the ABC Mrs Bradford was in “grave danger of being murdered”.
“This was definitely a woman who was in grave danger of being murdered. She knew it herself,” Ms Mangan told the broadcaster.
Mrs Bradford is the fifth Gold Coast woman to be murdered by her partner in just 16 months.
