UPDATE: A Hampton Park man is grappling with life-altering injuries after a shocking stabbing incident at Pakenham Station on January 1, 2023, as he prepared to celebrate the New Year with his family. Victim James, a 38-year-old father of three, recalls a traumatic scene where he thought he was going to die after being attacked by two assailants known to his family.
James was on his way to watch the fireworks when the alleged attack unfolded, leaving him with severe injuries to his face and neck. He lost approximately three liters of blood and underwent extensive surgery at Alfred Hospital.
According to James’ ex-partner, Nadene, the attackers had previously threatened their eldest son, age 13, earlier that day. “These boys approached us, who had threatened our eldest son… and our youngest yelled out to us that’s them,” Nadene stated. In a desperate act to protect his family, James confronted the attackers, only to be struck across the face with a machete.
Nadene expressed her anguish, revealing, “James was left to bleed out as we waited over half an hour for the ambulance to arrive. Everyone was there, just having to watch him literally bleed out. There’s nothing we could do.”
James spent 12 hours in a drug-induced coma, undergoing surgeries to repair his injured nerves and muscles. “To be honest, I thought I was actually gonna die there,” he shared. “It’s changed me in a way that I can’t really even explain.”
Nearly a month later, while James’ physical wounds are healing, the emotional scars remain. The family has relocated from Pakenham to Casey, yet both parents are deeply concerned for their children’s safety. “We’re scared if something’s not done, that it will be our kid that gets hurt,” Nadene said. James echoed her fears, stating, “I’ve lived here my whole life and don’t even want to be here.”
Authorities confirmed that a search warrant was executed at a Pakenham property the day after the incident, leading to the arrests of a 19-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy. They were interviewed and later released pending further inquiries.
The investigation by local police is ongoing, and they urge anyone with information or footage of the incident to contact Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000 or visit crimestoppersvic.com.au.
As the community reacts to this brutal crime, the family calls for increased safety measures to protect children from violence. “I’m terrified for my kids,” Nadene concluded. The emotional toll of that fateful night is a stark reminder of the urgent need for community safety and support.
