The school where Lilie James was violently murdered in the campus gym by a fellow sports coach has been rocked by a second tragic death, this time of one of the students.
Peggy Richards, who was about to start year 10 at St Andrews Cathedral School in Sydney, has died in a farm accident, parents were told during the summer holidays.
The talented teenager, who was looking forward to a future as a designer, “was involved in a fatal farm accident earlier this week,” school principal Dr. Julie McGonigle told parents.
“We are aware that this news will come as a shock and cause sadness and anxiety,” Dr. McGonigle said in an email to parents, describing it as “a very difficult time” for the classmates of the girl.
“Peggy will be greatly missed. She was universally loved by her colleagues and the staff who knew her best said: “Peggy had such a good heart. She was friends with everyone.”
“She also had a depth of insight far beyond her years. Maybe that’s why she was so strongly driven towards a future in design.’
It’s just 12 weeks since the school, in Sydney’s CBD, was rocked by the tragedy of the murder of 21-year-old water polo coach Miss James by hockey coach Paul Thijssen in the school gym bathroom.
St Andrews Cathedral School, (above) where 21-year-old Lilie James was violently murdered in the gym 12 weeks ago, has suffered another tragic death – a schoolgirl in a fatal farm accident
Just three months after the murder of Lilie James (above), St Andrews Catgedral School is rocked by another tragedy: the death of schoolgirl Peggy Richards in a farm accident
Thijssen, a former SACS student who was familiar with the school layout, arranged a meeting with Ms James after hours in the school gymnasium where he was preparing desks for HSC exams.
Dr. McGonigle informed parents and students at the school on the morning of October 26 that Mrs. James had died at the school the night before and that the campus would be closed for several days.
This was while police were still with a hammer looking for Paul Thijssen in connection with the murder of Miss James sometime between 6pm and 8pm.
Thijssen, 24, had a brief five-week relationship with Ms James before it was believed she had ended it.
The school’s International Baccalaureate students had just started their final exams and the Year 12 students had started their HSC exams two weeks earlier.
NSW Police would later say the school’s internal CCTV cameras captured both Ms James and Thijssen entering the gym’s bathroom, but only him exiting.
St Andrews principal Dr Julie McGonigle is planning a permanent memorial or award at the school to honor Mrs James’ life and work at the school
Police believe Thijssen took his murder weapon to the white Lexus he had borrowed or rented and drove from the school to Vaucluse in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, arriving at 8.47pm.
Thijssen threw the hammer away at Vaucluse and, after calling Triple-0 to report his crime, jumped off the cliff at Diamond Bay Reserve.
Police traced the call to the reservation where they found an abandoned backpack with some of Thijssen’s belongings, but no trace of him.
A daylong search in the Vaucluse on Thursday failed to find Thijssen, but a surprise discovery the next morning led police to believe he had thrown himself from the cliffs.
Early on the Friday morning of October 27, tradesmen working on a boardwalk being built on the edge of the cliff above Diamond Bay spotted an object stuck in the rocks below and being pounded by waves.
It was Thijssen’s body.
Paul Thijssen, pictured as a student outside St Andrews Cathedral School, was set to return to work there as a coach before committing the unspeakable act of murdering fellow sports assistant Lilie James.
When his family decided not to repatriate their son’s remains to Europe, Thijssen was cremated in Sydney.
On November 17, family, friends and students of Miss James gathered at two locations to say goodbye to the popular young St Andrews Sports Assistant. Her father told mourners how proud he was of his lively, always ‘on the go’ daughter.
The ceremony was broadcast to the Cathedral of St Andrews School, where Dr McGonigle said ‘Lilie’s commitment to the students was wide-ranging and she was adored by all’.
The principal said Miss James was “a vibrant, bright, compassionate young lady who impacted the lives of many at our school and we are heartbroken by this news.”
Just three months after mourning Lilie Janmes (left), school principal Dr Julie McGonigle (right) has urged students to keep the family of schoolgirl Peggy Richards ‘in your prayers’
Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed the school plans to demolish the gymnasium bathroom where Miss James was murdered.
It is believed this was undertaken over the Christmas and New Year holidays and the school is in the process of creating a permanent memorial or award to honor Mrs James’ life and work at the school.
Following the latest tragedy of Peggy Richards’ death, Dr. McGonigle asked the parents and caregivers of the girl’s classmates to “keep Peggy’s family in your prayers and cherish each other during this very difficult time.”
‘Life is a gift, not a given.’