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

[mam544]

Both, really, but primarily from what seems like an epidemic of domestic violence and husbands who feel entitled to dispose of their wives and then are arrogant enough to believe that no one will question their lies. Just in the last few years, I have been following at least 10 or so stories of husbands who disappeared their wives or partners in the US. But one in Australia I’m following is the guy who ran over his Olympic cycling wife with his Ute who claimed she tried to climb on the hood as he was driving away. Not buying his story either!!!

It was all filmed on a neighbours home security camera according to 'South Aussie'.

"... also says that some of the incident was caught on a neighbour's security cameras - and that Melissa jumped onto the car bonnet, tried to grab at a door handle, Rohan continued to drive the 4WD until she fell to the ground, then she was dragged some distance down the street".

 

[GRT]

Both, really, but primarily from what seems like an epidemic of domestic violence and husbands who feel entitled to dispose of their wives and then are arrogant enough to believe that no one will question their lies. Just in the last few years, I have been following at least 10 or so stories of husbands who disappeared their wives or partners in the US. But one in Australia I’m following is the guy who ran over his Olympic cycling wife with his Ute who claimed she tried to climb on the hood as he was driving away. Not buying his story either!!!

Sadly, you make a good point. Domestic violence--usually the male harming the female--is still a problem in society.

 

[Marg944]

Wish there was some update on this tragic case!

 

[SMK777]

Wish there was some update on this tragic case!

Same here! I guess we are just going to have to wait for a break in the story….

 

[SouthAussie]

Wish there was some update on this tragic case!

I have to wonder if involvement of the DoD is keeping follow up reporting very quiet.

It seems unusual for further reporting not to have happened by now.

The DoD took down all of his photos, then silence.

 

[Marg944]

Very unusual that Police and Paramedics would both go to an emergency medical call. I would understand it if the Paramedics called the Police because it looked suspicious to them, but a few articles state that both were called in the first instance.

“Police have not confirmed what time they believe Ms Crawford died, only that she was pronounced dead when paramedics arrived at 3.40am.

“Detective Superintendent Marchesini said she was last seen alive sometime on Monday afternoon and was believed to have attended work that day.”

'The male person at the house has discovered the woman around the time and that is how police were called. A call was made to emergency services to render assistance and QPS and QAS attended that scene, but sadly, she had already passed,' he said”

Eerie question after Australian mum killed in lawnmower incident

Frances Crawford, 49, was found dead at her Upper Lockyer home, in southeast Queensland, during the early hours of Tuesday 30 July.

www.dailymail.co.uk

"The male person that was at the house had discovered the woman around that time (3.40am) and that's how police were called."

Husband assisting police after woman found dead in lawn mower incident west of Brisbane

A man is assisting police with their inquiries after a woman was found dead in an apparent lawn mower incid...

www.9news.com.au

 

[Warshawski]

Very unusual that Police and Paramedics would both go to an emergency medical call. I would understand it if the Paramedics called the Police because it looked suspicious to them, but a few articles state that both were called in the first instance.

“Police have not confirmed what time they believe Ms Crawford died, only that she was pronounced dead when paramedics arrived at 3.40am.

“Detective Superintendent Marchesini said she was last seen alive sometime on Monday afternoon and was believed to have attended work that day.”

'The male person at the house has discovered the woman around the time and that is how police were called. A call was made to emergency services to render assistance and QPS and QAS attended that scene, but sadly, she had already passed,' he said”

Eerie question after Australian mum killed in lawnmower incident

Frances Crawford, 49, was found dead at her Upper Lockyer home, in southeast Queensland, during the early hours of Tuesday 30 July.

www.dailymail.co.uk

"The male person that was at the house had discovered the woman around that time (3.40am) and that's how police were called."

Husband assisting police after woman found dead in lawn mower incident west of Brisbane

A man is assisting police with their inquiries after a woman was found dead in an apparent lawn mower incid...

www.9news.com.au

If I recall correctly, the 000 call reported that Ms Crawford had suffered critical injuries in an incident involving a ride-on mower - so I think that will have triggered the Police presence as well.

But I do personally find it strange that there have been no further updates.

 

[GRT]

I have to wonder if involvement of the DoD is keeping follow up reporting very quiet.

It seems unusual for further reporting not to have happened by now.

The DoD took down all of his photos, then silence.

I wouldn't be surprised. A similar quiet-out followed the death of Ramzan Daraev, who was shot by a Fort Liberty soldier. We have a very short WS thread about it.

But, I'd think the Frances Crawford case would get more attention, if only because it's so odd to be mowing in winter at 3 am in the dark.

 

[SouthAussie]

I was looking last night to see if there is some way that the DoD can keep things quiet, and I came across this (below).

I am wondering if the DoD has now bestowed protected identity status on Frances' husband, with taking down his photos from their media library, and their FB posts about him.
We know he had applied for a Middle East posting at one point - due to the charges that were brought against him, then dropped, in 2012.
And who knows where he is flying his cargo missions, like the one he recently returned from, having been away for a month.


Defence Protected Identity status, also known as PID status, is a Defence policy afforded to some current serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) members. This is to protect current sensitive Defence capabilities and effects, our operations, the partners we operate with, as well as to safeguard the security of individuals and their families.

https://www.defence.gov.au/news-events/releases/2023-04-13/record-correction-defence-protected-identity-status-and-its-application

 

[Warshawski]

I wouldn't be surprised. A similar quiet-out followed the death of Ramzan Daraev, who was shot by a Fort Liberty soldier. We have a very short WS thread about it.

But, I'd think the Frances Crawford case would get more attention, if only because it's so odd to be mowing in winter at 3 am in the dark.

But there’s actually nothing to say that she Was Mowing / Was Mowing at night.
All media reports imo have stated that a 000 call was made around 3am saying she had been found in an accident which involved a ride-on-mower. It seems logical that someone using a mower would be mowing, but not an absolute.
I’m also confused as to whether she was already deceased when paramedics got to her, or not - due to the conflicting reports previously referenced.

 

[GRT]

But there’s actually nothing to say that she Was Mowing / Was Mowing at night.
All media reports imo have stated that a 000 call was made around 3am saying she had been found in an accident which involved a ride-on-mower. It seems logical that someone using a mower would be mowing, but not an absolute.
I’m also confused as to whether she was already deceased when paramedics got to her, or not - due to the conflicting reports previously referenced.

Good point. She may have been just riding on the mower. Those mowers are used as mini tractors at times to pull carts for fetching firewood, etc. Or, just get from point A to point B without having to walk. Mowers like the Husqvarna shown in the photos (not sure that was the one involved) are tip-prone, especially if the user drives horizontally on a slope.

But, they're also heavy, 400-600 pounds, so staging a scene whereby a killer tips one directly on a victim seems unlikely. MOO, But not impossible.

It does seem as though the DoD is keeping the story quiet. Or, at least asking the media not to report until results are in.

I'd like to know the size of the acreage and the general topography. From the few on-site photos we've seen, it looks rural and weedy/shrubby.

I'm still leaning toward it being an accident--a result perhaps of the couple arguing, perhaps having a drink or two, which may have impaired judgement, and then Frances going outside, perhaps on a tangent, and riding the mower. When she didn't come back (how long was she gone?), her husband decided to look for her.

I, too, wonder if she was deceased when help arrived. Some reports seem to say she died while they were trying to help her. We don't even know the extent of her injuries, but if it was a true tip-over, I would expect crushed ribs, collarbones, etc.

All MOO

 

[SouthAussie]

Good point. She may have been just riding on the mower. Those mowers are used as mini tractors at times to pull carts for fetching firewood, etc. Or, just get from point A to point B without having to walk. Mowers like the Husqvarna shown in the photos (not sure that was the one involved) are tip-prone, especially if the user drives horizontally on a slope.

But, they're also heavy, 400-600 pounds, so staging a scene whereby a killer tips one directly on a victim seems unlikely. MOO, But not impossible.

It does seem as though the DoD is keeping the story quiet. Or, at least asking the media not to report until results are in.

I'd like to know the size of the acreage and the general topography. From the few on-site photos we've seen, it looks rural and weedy/shrubby.

I'm still leaning toward it being an accident--a result perhaps of the couple arguing, perhaps having a drink or two, which may have impaired judgement, and then Frances going outside, perhaps on a tangent, and riding the mower. When she didn't come back (how long was she gone?), her husband decided to look for her.

I, too, wonder if she was deceased when help arrived. Some reports seem to say she died while they were trying to help her. We don't even know the extent of her injuries, but if it was a true tip-over, I would expect crushed ribs, collarbones, etc.

All MOO

If a rollover happens so relatively easily on sloped ground, why couldn't someone have laid a dead or unconscious Frances on a sloped surface and rolled the lawnmower over and onto her?

Maybe her injuries or position don't line up with her actually being on the lawnmower when she died.

imo

 

[GRT]

If a rollover happens so relatively easily on sloped ground, why couldn't someone have laid a dead or unconscious Frances on a sloped surface and rolled the lawnmower over and onto her?

Maybe her injuries or position don't line up with her actually being on the lawnmower when she died.

imo

As I said, it wouldn't be impossible, but I think it's pretty unlikely. When riding a mower across a slope, the center of gravity shifts to the downhill side. The greater the slope, the more risk that the center of gravity moves outside the mower's wheelbase and the mower tips. The rider turning sharply uphill or shifting her weight might make it worse.

But, staging the mower to look as though it naturally rolled on the rider would require knowing exactly where the mower would end up. If he put his dead or injured wife beside the mower on a downhill slope and then pushed the mower over on top of her, it could be difficult to line up the mower with her injuries. Would the mower tip sideways on her? Or, would it continue to roll onto its top? Once the mower was tipped--and tipping would likely be challenging if there were no weight on the mower causing the center of gravity to shift, it'd be virtually impossible to put it back upright or try to adjust it to better fit her injuries.

It just seems to me that there are too many variables in that scenario.

I'm not saying it couldn't happen--people do odd things to cover up crimes, but that's a whole lot of effort (and chance) to go to in the middle of winter (and darkness) if a guy is trying to make a murder look like an accident.

All MOO

 

[Marg944]

If I’m not mistaken, I think Frances’ social media has been culled also……..

IMHO

 

[SouthAussie]

As I said, it wouldn't be impossible, but I think it's pretty unlikely. When riding a mower across a slope, the center of gravity shifts to the downhill side. The greater the slope, the more risk that the center of gravity moves outside the mower's wheelbase and the mower tips. The rider turning sharply uphill or shifting her weight might make it worse.

But, staging the mower to look as though it naturally rolled on the rider would require knowing exactly where the mower would end up. If he put his dead or injured wife beside the mower on a downhill slope and then pushed the mower over on top of her, it could be difficult to line up the mower with her injuries. Would the mower tip sideways on her? Or, would it continue to roll onto its top? Once the mower was tipped--and tipping would likely be challenging if there were no weight on the mower causing the center of gravity to shift, it'd be virtually impossible to put it back upright or try to adjust it to better fit her injuries.

It just seems to me that there are too many variables in that scenario.

I'm not saying it couldn't happen--people do odd things to cover up crimes, but that's a whole lot of effort (and chance) to go to in the middle of winter (and darkness) if a guy is trying to make a murder look like an accident.

All MOO

Well, the thing that I think is a bit telling is that there have been other lawnmower rollovers/deaths in Australia, and none of them had the police saying it was suspicious.

As well, all of these examples happened in the warmer lawn-mowing months, in broad daylight.

Eg:
Gardener killed after ride-on mower roll-over (Nov 2022)
Tasmanian West Coast Council worker killed in ride-on mower accident at Zeehan park (Nov 2023)
Toddler killed by ride-on lawn mower driven by dad (Mar 2023)
Woman dies after ride-on mower accident at property in Ayr (Mar 2024)
Man dies in tragic ride-on mower accident (Feb 2024)

 

[Rumination1]

I agree . Terribly hard to stage. However she could have tipped the previous arvo and he just left her there. That’s suspicious !

Either way the poor woman may well have suffered lots as 340 am is such an odd time to be calling it in

I hope the post Mortem can shed light

As I said, it wouldn't be impossible, but I think it's pretty unlikely. When riding a mower across a slope, the center of gravity shifts to the downhill side. The greater the slope, the more risk that the center of gravity moves outside the mower's wheelbase and the mower tips. The rider turning sharply uphill or shifting her weight might make it worse.

But, staging the mower to look as though it naturally rolled on the rider would require knowing exactly where the mower would end up. If he put his dead or injured wife beside the mower on a downhill slope and then pushed the mower over on top of her, it could be difficult to line up the mower with her injuries. Would the mower tip sideways on her? Or, would it continue to roll onto its top? Once the mower was tipped--and tipping would likely be challenging if there were no weight on the mower causing the center of gravity to shift, it'd be virtually impossible to put it back upright or try to adjust it to better fit her injuries.

It just seems to me that there are too many variables in that scenario.

I'm not saying it couldn't happen--people do odd things to cover up crimes, but that's a whole lot of effort (and chance) to go to in the middle of winter (and darkness) if a guy is trying to make a murder look like an accident.

 

[GRT]

Well, the thing that I think is a bit telling is that there have been other lawnmower rollovers/deaths in Australia, and none of them had the police saying it was suspicious.

As well, all of these examples happened in the warmer lawn-mowing months, in broad daylight.

Eg:
Gardener killed after ride-on mower roll-over (Nov 2022)
Tasmanian West Coast Council worker killed in ride-on mower accident at Zeehan park (Nov 2023)
Toddler killed by ride-on lawn mower driven by dad (Mar 2023)
Woman dies after ride-on mower accident at property in Ayr (Mar 2024)
Man dies in tragic ride-on mower accident (Feb 2024)

We have them here in the states, too, and most of the time they're not considered suspicious either.

As you've said, it could be that her injuries didn't match what the investigators thought they should look like in a mower roll. Or maybe the position of the throttle wasn't open, which might suggest the mower wasn't running when it tipped.

Maybe the ROPS didn't engage, which could indicate someone tampered with that safety feature. Maybe there were tire tracks that did not coincide with the scene, suggesting it was staged. It's winter; maybe the battery was discharged, suggesting the mower wasn't operable.

There are several things I can think of that would indicate it wasn't an ordinary accident, but I'm leaning toward it being so challenging to successfully stage that type of death that a killer would be unlikely to choose that.

And, given winter and the dead of night, it seems like a very unlikely choice for staging a death. But, that's just me.

I wish we'd get some updates.

 

[GRT]

I agree . Terribly hard to stage. However she could have tipped the previous arvo and he just left her there. That’s suspicious !

Either way the poor woman may well have suffered lots as 340 am is such an odd time to be calling it in

I hope the post Mortem can shed light

I'm surprised we haven't heard any more. But, I agree with other posters that a lack of news might be partially due to DoD influence over media.

 

[GRT]

If I’m not mistaken, I think Frances’ social media has been culled also……..

IMHO

That's interesting! And who would have access to that? Someone who lived in the home and had access to her computer?

 

[Warshawski]

Well, the thing that I think is a bit telling is that there have been other lawnmower rollovers/deaths in Australia, and none of them had the police saying it was suspicious.

As well, all of these examples happened in the warmer lawn-mowing months, in broad daylight.

Eg:
Gardener killed after ride-on mower roll-over (Nov 2022)
Tasmanian West Coast Council worker killed in ride-on mower accident at Zeehan park (Nov 2023)
Toddler killed by ride-on lawn mower driven by dad (Mar 2023)
Woman dies after ride-on mower accident at property in Ayr (Mar 2024)
Man dies in tragic ride-on mower accident (Feb 2024)

I have some experience with these machines, and they can be terribly dangerous if not given the respect required (as can quad bikes).

Your comments above BBM I think helped alleviate any suspicion in those occurrences, where (as we’ve discussed) the time of FC being engaged with the mower will immediately have peaked Police interest; as GRT explained, it would be extremely difficult to have everything line up correctly in order to stage an accident with someone already deceased - as you stated, it would not line up consistent with her injuries. Usually these injuries involve enormous blood loss, to say the least.
They have various safety switches ( which can be disabled I believe )
There’s one under the seat, so if you fall off or overturn, everything stops.
Most need the brake engaged & you seated in order to start, so it can’t be started on an incline and roll away, perhaps over someone.
And usually there’s one on the blade engagement lever so the blades don’t start instantly the machine does - chopping off any toes that are too close!