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A heartbroken father has issued a desperate plea to the vandals who defaced his dead daughter’s memorial.
Toddler Skye Sassine was killed during a police chase in Sydney’s southwest in 2009.
Officers were chasing armed robber William Ngati, then 29, who was travelling in a mini-van when he rammed into another car on New Year’s Eve that had 19-month-old Skye and her parents inside.
The toddler’s death sparked the passage of Skye’s Law, which created a separate offence for drivers. Motorists now face up to three years jail if they try to evade police by starting a high-speed chase.
A memorial was established at the Skye Winter Bridge, which was named in her honour.
Her father Jay Sassine posted an image of the defaced memorial on Facebook before hitting out at those who removed one of the plaques.
“Information needed on who decided to deface a memorial for (the) Skye Winter Bridge,†he wrote.
“I can’t think of a reason this is justified in your tiny brain.
“In case you missed it … please google it and realise my family are the victims. My daughter was killed. We are innocent and we have done nothing to justify the continued harassment.
“If you have an issue with me, message me. Simple. Otherwise grow up and have some respect.â€
It’s not the first time the memorial has been damaged by vandals.
In 2015, Macquarie Fields police called on the public to dob in the person who graffitied the memorial, which is at the Claymore end of the Hume Highway overpass.
“Graffiti is a crime but to damage a memorial site that represents the loss of a beautiful little life in such tragic circumstances is just straight out malicious,†police said at the time.
Mr Ngati was being chased by police after robbing bottle shops at Peakhurst and East Hills while armed with a gun.
He reached speeds of 160km/h before ploughing into the Sassine family’s car.
He was sentenced to 19 years jail with a minimum of 14 for Skye’s manslaughter in 2012.
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