Australia - Frances Crawford 49, found dead after suspicious lawn mower accident in Queensland.

[SouthAussie]

Ahh yes! That is a great thought! It probably will be the case that the ADF will take it over.

I have noticed that he has a fairly high profile (media) position for the RAAF. I wonder how much more we will hear about this, if the ADF take over.

 

[Kemug]

‘Daily Mail Australia understands Crawford returned to Australia from an overseas deployment in late July and had been staying at the property for around a week before his wife's death’.

RSBM
Is it just me, or does this wording seem a little odd to others as well? To me, "staying at the property" implies that he didn't actually live there. So maybe they had separated?

 

[nhmemorymaker]

I found the article that says Frances’ husband was the only person at the property…. so the children were elsewhere.

“Detective Superintendent George Marchesini said Sqn Ldr Crawford, who was the only other person at the property at the time, has been questioned by officers.”

Cops reveal bombshell new details over mum killed in lawnmower tragedy

Frances Crawford, 49, was found dead on her rural property in Upper Lockyer, southeast Queensland, at 3.40am on Tuesday.

www.dailymail.co.uk

This is a really really strange case ... with questions.

Why were the children not home?
Could have the accident been much earlier, but HE just didnt get back to the property until the early morning hours?
Is there some other woman?
Will LE be able to re-engineer how the mower could have, in fact, killed her?

In the article, her parents did declare them to be a happy couple... true???
They keep referring to "the property" not the "home". And he "had been staying at the property for about a week" That just sounds weird to me.

ha ha... I slipped in the obvious question that always swims through our mind in cases like this....

 

[nhmemorymaker]

I have noticed that he has a fairly high profile (media) position for the RAAF. I wonder how much more we will hear about this, if the ADF take over.

ADF ???

 

[Kemug]

The "children" are likely already in their teens and twenties, and living their own lives.

 

[SouthAussie]

ADF ???

Australian Defence Force (armed services) - he is a member of the Royal Australian Air Force.

Australian Defence Force Investigative Service

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Police investigate woman's suspicious death involving lawn mower

Officers are appealing for information as they try to understand how psychologist Frances Crawford, 49, died at her Queensland property.

www.abc.net.au

Police have revealed they had previously attended a property in Queensland's Lockyer Valley where a woman died in a suspicious incident involving a ride-on lawn mower.

He confirmed officers had previously attended the Thomas Road property in July 2023 and "there was some action that was taken" but he did not elaborate further.

He said there were no domestic violence orders in place.

 

[FromGermany1]

Family’s tribute to ‘gentle’ mum killed in ‘suspicious’ lawnmower incident

‘Frances gave fully and freely of herself, a beautiful soul inside and out.’

7news.com.au

Upper Lockyer Death: RAAF Pilot Husband Of Mum Killed In Mystery Lawnmower Horror Is A 'broken Man' As Family Speak Out - After Police Mount Huge Swoop On The Property - Ny Breaking News

Frances Crawford, aged in her 40s, was found dead at her home on Thomas Road at Upper Lockyer, southeast Queensland, at 3.40am on Tuesday.

nybreaking.com

Over the past two decades the couple have lived across Australia, including Sydney, Adelaide and Queensland, where Sqn Ldr Crawford has held various positions within the Australian Defence Force.

 

[FromGermany1]

Daily Mail Australia understands Crawford returned to Australia from an overseas deployment in late July and had been staying at the property for about a week before his wife’s death.

Detective Superintendent Marchesini said the circumstances leading up to Ms Crawford’s death, such as her husband’s work schedule, would form part of his investigation.

The update comes after police declared the case suspicious on Thursday after spending the day searching for evidence at the home.

Lawnmower Death In Upper Lockyer: RAAF Pilot Robert Crawford Questioned By Police Over Death Of Wife Frances

Frances Crawford, 49, was found dead on her rural property in Upper Lockyer, southeast Queensland, at 3.40am on Tuesday.

whatsnew2day.com

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I'm trying to think of a reason someone would be mowing lawn at 3am.

Maybe someone who is sleepwalkng ?
Or affected in some other way.

I know these days farmers often work at night, sowing crops. I hear them calling in to the ABC quiz show that I listen to at midnight. I think it's usually in warmer weather though.

 

[SouthAussie]

I'm trying to think of a reason someone would be mowing lawn at 3am.

Maybe someone who is sleepwalkng ?
Or affected in some other way.

I know these days farmers often work at night, sowing crops. I hear them calling in to the ABC quiz show that I listen to at midnight. I think it's usually in warmer weather though.

I suspect that Frances' injuries don't fit the scenario.


"Sadly, she passed away at that scene … we've not been able to determine a cause in regards to what was discovered at that scene," he said, adding that the death was being treated as "suspicious".

Police investigate woman's suspicious death involving lawn mower

Officers are appealing for information as they try to understand how psychologist Frances Crawford, 49, died at her Queensland property.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Seni]

I'm trying to think of a reason someone would be mowing lawn at 3am.

Maybe someone who is sleepwalkng ?
Or affected in some other way.

I know these days farmers often work at night, sowing crops. I hear them calling in to the ABC quiz show that I listen to at midnight. I think it's usually in warmer weather though.

You just wouldnt. A lawn. Cant see what you are doing.

But equally seems difficult to cut someone up with lawn mower

 

[Marg944]

I suspect that Frances' injuries don't fit the scenario.


"Sadly, she passed away at that scene … we've not been able to determine a cause in regards to what was discovered at that scene," he said, adding that the death was being treated as "suspicious".

Police investigate woman's suspicious death involving lawn mower

Officers are appealing for information as they try to understand how psychologist Frances Crawford, 49, died at her Queensland property.

www.abc.net.au

I agree. The Police don’t use the word “accident”, instead calling it an “incident”.

https://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/update-after-woman-killed-lawnmower-incident/news-story/ebec7aafe2d1a25b56cdddc5a0e8e755

 

[LadyL]

You just wouldnt. A lawn. Cant see what you are doing.

But equally seems difficult to cut someone up with lawn mower

most riding lawn mowers have headlights on them
also some people have floodlights over their property
but I still don't believe she was cutting the grass at that time

 

[Angelcat13]

You just wouldnt. A lawn. Cant see what you are doing.

But equally seems difficult to cut someone up with lawn mower

My husband said the picture of the lawn mower looked like it was “newer” and would likely have a safety mechanism that would shut down the blades if it were to topple or the driver were to be dislodged.

 

[Marg944]

Hope Forensics weren’t wanting to retrieve hair or small samples from the ride-on lawnmower, there won’t be anything left following the way they are transporting it.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I'm finding it very suspicious but until I know more I'm not ruling anything out.

 

[realanastasia]

My husband said the picture of the lawn mower looked like it was “newer” and would likely have a safety mechanism that would shut down the blades if it were to topple or the driver were to be dislodged.

Good point—however, I believe the article in the Daily Mail posted here notes that this safety mechanism on Husqvarna garden tractors (like the one the victim owned) can be easily overridden/disabled, so that’s worth considering.

I am wondering if perhaps it rolled over on her, which could happen if she was riding it over very uneven/steep terrain, or (purely hypothetically) perhaps it was pushed over on her if she was already on the ground. Surely the tractor is heavy enough that it could crush someone’s chest if they were trapped underneath, suffocating them.

Eerie details emerge after mum's death in late-night mowing incident

Frances Crawford, 49, was found dead at her home on Thomas Road at Upper Lockyer, southeast Queensland, at 3.40am on Tuesday following reports she had been crushed by a ride-on lawnmower.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Marg944]

Pilots seem to be in the news lately…..

 

[SouthAussie]

I am wondering if perhaps it rolled over on her, which could happen if she was riding it over very uneven/steep terrain, or (purely hypothetically) perhaps it was pushed over on her if she was already on the ground. Surely the tractor is heavy enough that it could crush someone’s chest if they were trapped underneath, suffocating them.

According to The Chronicle, that is similar to what the initial report said. That Frances suffered injuries when a lawnmower she was moving rolled down an embankment at about 3am.

But (according to the article) investigators are puzzled why Frances would be using a lawnmower at that time, and her family is asking questions.

The police are questioning nearby neighbours, and have requested any possible CCTV.

Upon further investigations, the police deemed the circumstances suspicious. They spent two days gathering evidence.

(paraphrased from Police declare Upper Lockyer lawnmower rollover death of Frances Crawford as suspicious )

I am wondering if maybe Frances suffered a fatal blow to the head ... from "falling off a tumbling lawnmower".