Leila Geagea Abdallah visited the crash site in Oatlands. Photo / News Corp Australia
Leila Geagea Abdallah visited the crash site in Oatlands. Photo / News Corp Australia
The mother of three children killed in a horrific crash in Sydney's north west says she forgives the man allegedly drunk behind the wheel.
Leila Geagea Abdallah, who lost Anthony, 13, Angelina, 12, and Sienna Abdallah, 9, on Saturday returned this morning to the scene of the crash at Oatlands'Bettington Road — where flowers and teddy bears have been left to remember the victims.
It was there she faced reporters and told them she doesn't hate the driver, who is alleged to have been three times over the limit when he mounted a kerb with his ute and struck seven children.
She said she didn't hate the driver. Photo / News Corp Australia
"The guy, I know he was (allegedly) drunk, driving on this street. Right now I can't hate him. I don't want to see him, (but) I don't hate him," she said.
"I think in my heart, I forgive him, but I want the court to be fair. It's all about fairness. I'm not going to hate him, because that's not who we are."
She added she felt like nothing had been real in the two days since the incident.
"To be fully honest with you, it feels very unreal, I still don't feel it's true, I feel that they are still with me – I'm still waiting for them to come home," she said.
Four children were killed in Saturday's crash. Photo / News Corp Australia
"I opened my eyes this morning, I was waiting for Antony, Angelina and Sienna … you see all of them around each other, cheering each other up, lifting each other.
The driver Samuel William Davidson has been refused bail. Photo / Supplied
She added her faith in the Bible has helped her family cope.
"Danny (her husband) and I were so blessed to have six kids, we love our kids so much. We tried to focus on their spiritual side more than anything. We tried to teach them to pray the rosary, to read the Bible and to share God's faith," she said.
Three of the Abdallah family's children were killed on Saturday. Photo / Supplied
"I asked God to come all together to pray as a community, but I didn't ask [him] to take my kids. I ask him to take everything from me, but my kids. I am sad, I am heartbroken but I am at peace because I know my kids are in a better place."
Meanwhile, her husband has revealed what he said to his children beofre they were tragically killed that night.
He said they told him they would be home before dark when they set off to buy ice cream.
Since they were in a big group, he decided it was fine for them to go but told them very clearly to stick together and stay on the footpath.
"I told them to go for a walk, a little walk and stay together. 'You guys should be OK', give them a little independence and this is a one-in-a-million chance thing," he told reporters.
Not long after he gave them that advice, the group of seven wandered past a golf club at Oatlands on Bettington when the unthinkable happened.
Allegedly drunk driver Samuel William Davidson, 29, was returning from grabbing some cash from a servo when his ute mounted the kerb and hit the group of children.
The 11-year-old was in year 6 at Santa Sabina College. On Facebook, the school announced it would be holding a memorial service in her honour.
Mr Abdallah, pleaded with drivers to be more careful.
"Yesterday, I lost three of my children," the tearful father of six said.
"I had a cousin, Bridget, she lost her daughter as well. I don't know what to say. I'm numb, probably that's how I feel at the moment.
Sienna Abdallah, 8, was killed in the crash. Photo / Supplied
"All I just want to say is please, drivers, be careful. These kids were just walking innocently, enjoying each others' company, and this morning I woke up – I have lost three kids.
"Please, just, make sure you love your loved ones, your kids especially.
Mr Abdallah's wife, Leila, was pictured at the scene on Sunday morning, tearfully paying tribute to her children.
Distraught members of the Oatlands community on Sunday also placed flowers at the scene, with shrines established for each of the Abdallah children.
"I don't know what to say. I'm numb, probably that's what I feel at the moment. All I want to say is please, drivers, be careful," Mr Abdallah said.
"These kids were just walking innocently, enjoying each other's company ... and this morning I woke up and I have lost three kids."
The man accused of manslaughter and more than a dozen serious driving offences, meanwhile, will remain behind bars for at least another two months after failing to apply for bail.
Antony Abdallah, 13, was the oldest of the four victims. Photo / Supplied
Samuel William Davidson, 29, was allegedly three times the legal blood alcohol limit on Saturday night when his Mitsubishi ute mounted a kerb in Oatlands.
Police allege he had been drinking at home with friends before he got behind the wheel to withdraw cash at a service station, less than 2km away.
The Daily Telegraph reports that Davidson and a 24-year-old friend were returning home when the 29-year-old is alleged to have gone through a red light and was seen travelling on the wrong side of the road just seconds before he allegedly killed the children.
One female driver said she witnessed the car careening towards the direction of pedestrians and honked her horn to alert the driver.
Of the surviving children, a nine-year-old boy is in a serious but stable condition in hospital, and two girls aged 13 and 10 suffered minor injuries.
Davidson was arrested after returning a positive roadside breath test result and allegedly recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.15.
He has been charged with 20 offences including four counts of manslaughter, dangerous driving occasioning death and grievous bodily harm, negligent driving and drink-driving.
His case was on Sunday heard at Parramatta Bail Court. He did not appear in court and did not apply for bail, which was formally refused by Magistrate John McIntosh.
Davidson is scheduled to return to Parramatta Local Court on April 2.
