Logan community to mourn Kate Paterson 38 and her baby, April
Updated ,first published
More than 300 friends, neighbors and community members gathered Thursday to mourn the loss of one of their own following the deaths of a local teacher and her daughter.
The bodies of 38-year-old Kate Paterson and her one-year-old daughter April was discovered by police on Thursday in the Logan suburb of Belivah this morning with what they described as stab wounds.
Paterson was a 5th grade teacher at Windaroo Public School, a five-minute drive from home through the ever-expanding tracts of the Logan area.
On Friday night, students still in uniform from nearby schools, families with young children and longtime locals gathered at a park near Paterson’s home to leave flowers, toys and candles for the couple.
A couple of women who took a framed photo of Paterson and her little girl said they wanted to take one last photo with her.
A note addressed to “Mrs. Paterson” was left during the vigil.
Owen Bailey, whose home is just a few blocks from Paterson and his daughter, said he’s never seen anything like this in the 10 years he’s lived in the community.
“I actually only talked to these people a week ago,” he said.
“I was walking [and] I spoke to the lady, her daughter and her partner; They were caressing my dachshund.”
“Once you see them together… you can’t pick it out and not think it could happen.”
Owen said the Friday night vigil brought the community together and suggested the council name a nearby park in honor of Paterson and her young daughter.
Police officers were stationed less than two blocks away on Belivah Road near the still-active crime scene at Paterson’s home.
Police had responded to the home after Paterson’s partner, Blake Seers, 39, April’s father, was hit by a car a few blocks away and had already suffered a neck injury.
Officers traced blood drops from the house to the nearby Woolworths on the corner of Beenleigh Road and Bannockburn Road.
A black ute at the scene on Thursday had damaged the driver’s side mirror.
Although police said the deaths were being investigated as suspicious, Oracles remained hospitalized Friday morning and is not yet facing charges.
Neighbors said they gave police CCTV showing Seers heading towards Woolworths and officers asked anyone with further footage or information to contact authorities.
The community held an impromptu meeting via a Facebook postonline comments reflect Bailey’s desire to name a local park after Paterson and his daughter.
Read the post: “In times like these, our community stands together. By sharing our pain, supporting each other, and coming together, we can begin to find strength and healing.”
Logan City Mayor Jon Raven said the council was prepared to honor the couple but needed to talk to the family first.
“There’s actually a brand new playground being built right around the corner from the park right now that’s actually quite visible, and it’s for the age group in April, so it would be perfect to have a plaque there,” Raven said.
He said the council supports the community where necessary and there are several domestic violence shelters in and around Logan.
“But the real message is to reach out to your neighbors and check on them,” he said.
