Leeton crash: Uncle of Jeremiah and Nathaniel Schmetzer charged with assault after their funeral
The uncle of two young boys who died with their mother in a horror car crash is said to have assaulted two men – one of them was fighting for life – just hours after their joint funeral.
Nathaniel Schmetzer, 11, and his younger brother Jeremiah, 10, said goodbye on Saturday at a ceremony in Leeton, southern NSW, nearly three weeks after they were killed along with their mother Tania Murphy, 36, and cousin Malakai, 12 .
All four died after Mrs. Murphy drove into a telephone pole not far from her home in Yanco on April 4.
Police will claim that Mrs. Murphy left her home after her boyfriend, Dean Ingram, broke in and threatened her.
Now Daily Mail Australia can reveal that the grieving family suffered a second blow on the day of the two boys’ funeral.
At around 8 p.m. that day, just seven hours after the children were buried, their uncle Jack Schmetzer, 30, allegedly assaulted Dale Mcpherson, 55, and his son John, 36, on a Yanco property.
Jack Graham David Schmetzer, 30, (pictured) has been charged after allegedly assaulting two men hours after his cousins’ funeral
Nathaniel (left) and his brother Jeremiah (right) died on Tuesday, April 4 with their mother, Tania Murphy, and her cousin Malakai Murphy
Paramedics rushed the couple to Griffith Hospital, where Dale was treated for cuts to his arm and legs.
John – reportedly suffering a four-inch cut to the back of his head, a fractured skull, a cerebral haemorrhage and a two-inch cut to his lip – was later airlifted to Sydney’s St George Hospital in critical condition.
John is presumed to be in an induced coma. Daily Mail Australia understands that police will also claim that Schmetzer threatened John’s sister, Monique, when she tried to intervene during the attack.
Schmetzer was arrested by the police at around 6:20 p.m. the day after the funeral.
He was taken to Leeton Police Station where he was charged with a series of assault charges, including reckless wounding.
Tania Murphy, 36, (pictured) died along with her sons and cousin when her car crashed into an embankment on April 4
John Mcpherson, 36, (left) and his father Dale, 55, (right) were allegedly attacked by Schmetzer
Police were called to an alleged attack in Yanco on Saturday night. Pictured is Tania Murphy’s Cudgel Street home – coincidentally on the same street where the Mcphersons were allegedly attacked
He was remanded in custody to appear in Griffith local court on Monday, where he was denied bail.
Earlier on Saturday, hundreds of mourners gathered at St Peter’s Anglican Church in Leeton to say goodbye to Nathaniel and Jeremiah.
Two small blue boxes adorned with flowers stood at the front of the hall as mourners heard how the boys “always saw the best in life” and loved fishing, skiing, and camping with their families on weekends.
Aboriginal flags were hung behind the coffins, which also featured pictures of the two siblings sitting on top.
After the ceremony, lovers released blue helium balloons into the sky. The boy’s cousin, Malakai, was said goodbye at a service in Griffith on Thursday.
Police will claim that Schmetzer threatened Monique Mcpherson during the attack
Devastated loved ones held a memorial for Mrs. Murphy, her sons and cousin on Saturday
Blue helium balloons were released in honor of Nathaniel and Jeremiah
Ms Murphy, a mother of six, was driving her hatchback around 11.15pm on April 4 when disaster struck just a few miles from her home.
The following day, Mr Ingram and his mother Wendy Chattaway, 50, were arrested as part of a police investigation into the crash.
Mrs. Chattaway was later released without charge, while Ingram was charged with allegedly kicking in the back door of Mrs. Murphy’s home just before the accident.
He was charged with two counts of stalking with intent to cause harm, and one count of aggravated burglary and refusal of bail at Griffith local court.
The tragedy has rocked the small community when it comes to dealing with the quadruple fatality and subsequent arrests, with online feuds between local families.
Daily Mail Australia understands that there have also been family tensions over the funeral arrangements for Mrs Murphy and the boys, with some family members opting to hold alternative memorial services.
Schmetzer will next appear in court on May 6, while Ingram’s case will be heard in the same court on June 8.