Cult Tragedy: Mother Jailed for Killing of Two-Year-Old Daughter in Australia

[Social Media]

 

In a chilling case that has haunted Australia for decades, a cult member who brutally killed her two-year-old daughter over an inability to properly complete chores has been sentenced to nine years in prison. The tragic story of Tillie Craig, who vanished from a remote religious commune in 1987, has only recently come to light, leading to justice for a crime long buried by the secrecy of a cult.

 

Tillie Craig disappeared from the Ministry of God farm in New South Wales (NSW) in 1987, igniting a desperate, decades-long search by her father, Gerard Stanhope, who had been told his daughter was adopted. The heartbreaking reality was far more sinister. Tillie had been beaten to death with a plastic pipe by her own mother, Ellen Rachel Craig, when she was just two years old. Her small body was then allegedly cremated by the cult’s leader, her ashes scattered across the commune, erasing nearly all traces of her existence.

 

 

Ellen Craig, now 62, was charged with her daughter’s murder in 2022 after a tip-off to police finally brought the truth to light. She later pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter. When sentencing Craig on Wednesday, Justice Natalie Adams of the NSW Supreme Court expressed the profound tragedy of the case, stating that to call Tillie’s death a tragedy would be "a gross understatement." Justice Adams emphasized the grave betrayal inherent in the act, noting that Tillie "died at the hands of someone whose role it was to protect her."

 

The grim details of Tillie’s last moments were recounted in court, revealing a disturbing culture of discipline within the commune. According to the agreed facts, children at the Ministry of God farm were required to perform chores regardless of their age. Punishment for perceived failings was harsh, often involving a piece of black pipe. On July 7, 1987, Tillie had been sweeping when her mother, unhappy with the quality of the work, beat her to death. Craig, then 25 years old, later brought her lifeless daughter inside, uttering in horror, "She’s stopped breathing" and "Oh no, no she’s gone."

 

The court heard that after the brutal beating, Craig laid Tillie in a bathtub and waited for the cult’s leader, known as Alexander Wilon or "Papa," to return. When he did, Wilon prayed for the resurrection of the little girl, a futile and macabre ritual. Wilon then allegedly cremated Tillie’s body and scattered her ashes, forbidding the other cult members from ever speaking of what had happened. This act of silencing, combined with the destruction of evidence, ensured that the truth remained hidden for more than three decades.

 

Wilon was later charged with being an accessory to murder, along with separate charges related to sexual assault allegations. However, due to his terminal illness, he has been declared unfit to stand trial, escaping legal accountability for his role in Tillie’s death.

 

Following Tillie’s murder, Ellen Craig was expelled from the cult by November 1987. She fled to her home country of New Zealand, where she lived under several aliases for more than 30 years. Her past finally caught up with her in 2021 when she was arrested and extradited to Australia to face justice for her crime.

 

During her sentencing, a segment of a letter written by Craig was read aloud in court, offering a glimpse into her remorse. In the letter, Craig apologized for her actions, stating, "something happened" to her as a mother while living at the farm. She expressed deep regret, writing, "My actions were horrible, terrible, horrific. I will never forgive myself for what I have done." Craig also acknowledged her guilt and the need for accountability, adding that she wanted "justice" for her daughter and was "at peace" with her imprisonment.

 

For Tillie’s father, Gerard Stanhope, the sentencing marked the end of a long, painful chapter of uncertainty and grief. In a victim impact statement read to the court, Stanhope described the torment of not knowing his daughter’s fate for so many years. "I spent years... waking up every day with the hope in my heart that I would find her, and going to bed devastated that I was unable to do so," he recalled. The devastating truth—that his daughter had been dead all along—only came to light more than 30 years later, when Craig was arrested.

 

The court’s decision will see Ellen Craig eligible for parole after six years in custody, in November 2027. While the legal proceedings have concluded, the sorrow and horror of Tillie’s story remain, a stark reminder of the destructive power of cults and the unimaginable suffering they can inflict on the innocent.

 

Credit: BBC  2024-08-23

 

 

 

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

[newbee2022]

8 hours ago, Social Media said:

 

In a chilling case that has haunted Australia for decades, a cult member who brutally killed her two-year-old daughter over an inability to properly complete chores has been sentenced to nine years in prison. The tragic story of Tillie Craig, who vanished from a remote religious commune in 1987, has only recently come to light, leading to justice for a crime long buried by the secrecy of a cult.

 

Tillie Craig disappeared from the Ministry of God farm in New South Wales (NSW) in 1987, igniting a desperate, decades-long search by her father, Gerard Stanhope, who had been told his daughter was adopted. The heartbreaking reality was far more sinister. Tillie had been beaten to death with a plastic pipe by her own mother, Ellen Rachel Craig, when she was just two years old. Her small body was then allegedly cremated by the cult’s leader, her ashes scattered across the commune, erasing nearly all traces of her existence.

 

 

Ellen Craig, now 62, was charged with her daughter’s murder in 2022 after a tip-off to police finally brought the truth to light. She later pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter. When sentencing Craig on Wednesday, Justice Natalie Adams of the NSW Supreme Court expressed the profound tragedy of the case, stating that to call Tillie’s death a tragedy would be "a gross understatement." Justice Adams emphasized the grave betrayal inherent in the act, noting that Tillie "died at the hands of someone whose role it was to protect her."

 

The grim details of Tillie’s last moments were recounted in court, revealing a disturbing culture of discipline within the commune. According to the agreed facts, children at the Ministry of God farm were required to perform chores regardless of their age. Punishment for perceived failings was harsh, often involving a piece of black pipe. On July 7, 1987, Tillie had been sweeping when her mother, unhappy with the quality of the work, beat her to death. Craig, then 25 years old, later brought her lifeless daughter inside, uttering in horror, "She’s stopped breathing" and "Oh no, no she’s gone."

 

The court heard that after the brutal beating, Craig laid Tillie in a bathtub and waited for the cult’s leader, known as Alexander Wilon or "Papa," to return. When he did, Wilon prayed for the resurrection of the little girl, a futile and macabre ritual. Wilon then allegedly cremated Tillie’s body and scattered her ashes, forbidding the other cult members from ever speaking of what had happened. This act of silencing, combined with the destruction of evidence, ensured that the truth remained hidden for more than three decades.

 

Wilon was later charged with being an accessory to murder, along with separate charges related to sexual assault allegations. However, due to his terminal illness, he has been declared unfit to stand trial, escaping legal accountability for his role in Tillie’s death.

 

Following Tillie’s murder, Ellen Craig was expelled from the cult by November 1987. She fled to her home country of New Zealand, where she lived under several aliases for more than 30 years. Her past finally caught up with her in 2021 when she was arrested and extradited to Australia to face justice for her crime.

 

During her sentencing, a segment of a letter written by Craig was read aloud in court, offering a glimpse into her remorse. In the letter, Craig apologized for her actions, stating, "something happened" to her as a mother while living at the farm. She expressed deep regret, writing, "My actions were horrible, terrible, horrific. I will never forgive myself for what I have done." Craig also acknowledged her guilt and the need for accountability, adding that she wanted "justice" for her daughter and was "at peace" with her imprisonment.

 

For Tillie’s father, Gerard Stanhope, the sentencing marked the end of a long, painful chapter of uncertainty and grief. In a victim impact statement read to the court, Stanhope described the torment of not knowing his daughter’s fate for so many years. "I spent years... waking up every day with the hope in my heart that I would find her, and going to bed devastated that I was unable to do so," he recalled. The devastating truth—that his daughter had been dead all along—only came to light more than 30 years later, when Craig was arrested.

 

The court’s decision will see Ellen Craig eligible for parole after six years in custody, in November 2027. While the legal proceedings have concluded, the sorrow and horror of Tillie’s story remain, a stark reminder of the destructive power of cults and the unimaginable suffering they can inflict on the innocent.

 

Credit: BBC  2024-08-23

 

 

 

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

No words 😶

[DanyAsia]

This is a truly heartbreaking case. No child should ever suffer violence, especially not at the hands of their own mother who is meant to protect them.