Caitlin Rose Thornton
06/28/01-03/11/2023
Around 8-8:30 pm on March 11, 2023, 21-year-old Caitlin Rose Thornton was found unconscious in the backyard of her home in Cessnock, New South Wales. When emergency response units arrived, they believed Caitlin had done something to injure herself. She was rushed to hospital but never recovered and tragically passed just 3 days later.
Caitlin's family claims she would never take her own life. She had two young children, had just left an abusive relationship, and recently started a career as a beautician. When I heard the news, they felt something wasn't right, and as we go over the details of the case, I'd love to know if you agree with them in the comments.
Caitlin was also a victim of domestic abuse. She had been in a long-term relationship with the father of her two young sons. I'm not sure of their exact ages at the time of Caitlin's passing, but it seems their eldest is around 3 or 4, and their youngest is about 2. The couple was obviously young and had hardships, but in 2022 things turned/became violent. This obviously troubled the family.
The couple had separated, and her ex came to her house and attacked her. The police were called, and he was arrested and charged with two counts of assault. A protection order was put in place, and the matter was still ongoing in the court system at the time of Caitlin's death.
For some reason, her ex was given partial custody of 1 of the 2 boys. This put Caitlin in an awful place because she was scared to leave the boys with him because of his violent and aggressive nature. So in early 2023, she moved in with him to stay close to her children and keep them safe.
It almost seems like the assault was a tipping point for Caitlin because she started to prepare for a future where she could care for her boys independently. Just weeks before her death, Caitlin had earned lash technician qualifications and had set up her own business. She worked hard to create a new chapter for her boys, including a daily park trip.
On March 7, things got bad again. They began arguing, and it was so intense someone called the police. When the officers arrived, Caitlin denied any abuse, and they left.
The following morning she started packing a bag to leave, but when her ex found her, he flew into a rage. He started screaming and throwing things. Caitlin knew she had to get out of there, but she wanted to get the boys to keep them safe. This made him even more enraged. The neighbors heard Caitlin start screaming a blood-curdling scream for help; they began to record the incident and ran to Caitlin. They found her being attacked in front of her children, her ex throwing her and her things out of their home. The police were called, but again, Caitlin denied any physical violence.
Eventually, she left and went to a friend's house. Her friend tried to take care of her and took Caitlin out to eat and to get their nails done. Of course, her children were on her mind the whole time. After dinner, Caitlin returned to her house to grab some more belongings and, I'm sure, to check on everyone.
The moment she entered the door, her ex came after her again.
Neighbors heard the commotion begin and then, a few moments later, silence. It was quiet for a few minutes before the neighbor heard Caitlin's ex scream. The neighbor ran to him and saw Caitlin lying unconscious in the backyard. The neighbor performed CPR until first responders arrived. She was rushed to the hospital and put on life support. I have read two conflicting reports; one stated the authorities treated the scene like a self-injurious incident, while another said a crime scene was set up. An investigation occurred, including a forensic examination. And none of the articles or information I have found about this case have mentioned a cause of death. There is an inquest coming out that I'm assuming will cover this.
When Caitlin's mom heard she was in the hospital, she was suspicious of Caitlin's ex. When she arrived at the hospital, Caitlin's ex was there, and she confronted him about her suspicions. She flat-out asked him if he had killed Caitlin. His response was chilling; he said, "I'd never kill her, but I told her to kill herself."
I'm a bit confused about this next part, but I hope the inquest will address this. On March 11, 2023, Caitlin's family decided to turn off her life support. However, her ex was next of kin and, therefore, had a say over what happened to her body. I've heard this happened because none of the family was there when she passed, but I'm not entirely sure.
Either way, her ex would not release Cailtlin's body for burial or funeral services for weeks, despite her family begging him to do so. I am not clear on why he finally released her to her family. Still, I've read that he told the family they had to drop the charges against him and that he was pressured by the story being televised. Either way, 6 1/2 weeks after Caitlin passed, she was laid to rest.
After Caitlin passed away, the court dropped the charges against Caitlin's partner, stating their reason was that there was no one to testify despite a video statement made by Caitlin at the police department, photographs of injuries, medical reports, and eyewitness statements.
Like always, no matter what tragedies Caitlin faced, we will remember all the beautiful things about her. Caitlin was a loving, caring mother with a vibrant and bubbly soul deeply loved by her family. She was a creative artist and a true friend who would give the shirt off her back to anyone in need. Her sons were her world, and she would do anything for them, even putting her life on the line.
In the wake of this tragedy, Caitlin's family is fighting to have laws amended to allow an investigation when it comes to charges of domestic violence, even if the victim passes away.
There are two GoFundMe accounts associated with this case, one set up by the family, the other set up by Caitlin's ex, who, at the time of this video, has custody of the couple's children. So be mindful if you choose to donate.
The 8 stages of domestic violence homicide are hard to identify in this case because of the lack of information. Still, if you want, I can do a second more in-depth video once the inquest is completed.
Thank you so much for listening to Caitlin's story. With each of these recounting, we can learn the signs of escalating danger to ensure we know when to remove ourselves from situations that can turn fatal.
Please light a candle for Caitlin or anyone who has died from domestic violence. And if you or anyone you know is experiencing abuse, please contact someone in your support network and/or a local resource and let them know what's happening. You are not alone, and there are a lot of people out there who are waiting to help you.
Stay safe, everyone. See you soon.
Law petition
GoFundMe
Funeral service
Disturbing video
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