Police Charge Man With Murder Of Daughter
Mother Says She Can't Explain What Happened
POSTED: 3:39 pm HST April 22,
2003
UPDATED: 12:35 pm HST April 23,
2003
HONOLULU -- Police charged a Big Island man with murder in the shooting death of his 8-year-old daughter.
Bail for 44-year-old Doug Fathke (pictured, left) is set at $550,000.Memarie Dhillon said she's at a loss to explain what happened. She said her ex-husband does have a history of mental illness, but she said he has never been violent before.
Kelsie Fathke, 8, (pictured, right) was full of spunk, according to her mother. Dhillon said Kelsie loved to ham it up for the camera.
Since her parents' divorce, Kelsie would live part of the year with her father in Naalehu on the Big Island and the other part of the year with her mother in Washington.Two days ago, on Easter Sunday, police said Doug Fathke shot Kelsie once in the head.Dhillon said Fathke has a history of mental illness and that he would sometimes become delusional and say he was God. Kelsie's mother told KITV 4 News Fathke was always gentle when it came to his daughter."He worshipped the ground she walked on, and she did the same for him. They had such a special relationship," Dhillon said.Doug Fathke is also charged with attempted murder and terroristic threatening. Police said Fathke also attacked a 16-year-old boy on the same day as the shooting.Neighbors said the boy had tried to intervene before the shooting.Fathke is set to be arraigned in court Wednesday.
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Since her parents' divorce, Kelsie would live part of the year with her father in Naalehu on the Big Island and the other part of the year with her mother in Washington.Two days ago, on Easter Sunday, police said Doug Fathke shot Kelsie once in the head.Dhillon said Fathke has a history of mental illness and that he would sometimes become delusional and say he was God. Kelsie's mother told KITV 4 News Fathke was always gentle when it came to his daughter."He worshipped the ground she walked on, and she did the same for him. They had such a special relationship," Dhillon said.Doug Fathke is also charged with attempted murder and terroristic threatening. Police said Fathke also attacked a 16-year-old boy on the same day as the shooting.Neighbors said the boy had tried to intervene before the shooting.Fathke is set to be arraigned in court Wednesday. Previous Story:
- April 21, 2003: Big Island Police Accuse Man Of Murdering Daughter, 8
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