On 27 December 2016, Kathryn Joy turned 32 years, nine weeks and six days old: the age their mother was when she was killed by Joy’s father.
While Allan Stuckey fired his 22-calibre rifle once, twice and a third time, his three children slept in the next-door bedrooms of the family home in Lismore, northern New South Wales. The pharmacist was found guilty of the manslaughter, rather than murder, of Carolyn, a teacher, in light of the affair she had been having. He served 22 months in prison and returned home to live with his children, who had been separated and placed in the care of family and friends while he was incarcerated. By then, Joy – who uses they/them pronouns – was four years old.
