Riley Hughes passed away from whooping cough, in March 2015. Since then his parents, Catherine and Greg, and their extended family and friends have worked towards ensuring this doesn’t happen to any more families. Cath and Greg have been instrumental in ensuring that whooping cough immunisations are provided to expecting mums in their third trimester. This will save lives. This will confer some protection to a newborn in the first months of life. Cath and Greg are heroes. Rightfully, Catherine is a nominee for the 2016 Young Australian of the Year, to be announced in just over a week.
Catherine and Greg have recently released a video of Riley, taken in his final days, so as to warn parents of the reality of this deadly disease. Whooping cough kills babies.
Cath appeared on Network Ten’s The Project, last night. Catherine explained why she released the video of Riley’s final days:
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Mamamia, for their own very valid reasons, decided not to publish the names of anti-vaccination activists. The folks at Mamamia are actually very nice people.
When it comes to anti-vaccination thugs who vilify bereaved parents, I am not nice. I am unencumbered by this concept. We are duty-bound to ensure that our community is aware of the real anti-vaccination movement: it is akin to a cult who care not for ethics, nor empathy, nor decency. Families of children who have died from vaccine-preventable diseases have been targeted by anti-vaccinationists for years. And the Hughes family have been inundated with vile comments (there are 231 screenshots in that blog post), on their Light for Riley Facebook page.
So, today – again – I’ll present anti-vaccination thugs at their worst; and I will name them.
Vaccine Free Australia is a secret group consisting of over 4000 members. Members are frequently warned that the group is not secret, having regularly featured in national media. These are the admins of Vaccine Free Australia:
On January 13 2016, Rixta Francis – of Maitland NSW – posted this hideous conspiracy screed about Riley’s death, replete with lies about Catherine:
Baby Riley is big in the news again. Here’s a simple calculation about it.
Riley’s mother is known to be active in the SAVN [LIE]. This is a splinter group with few active members and a bit more fringe supporters. Let’s say that the active group is 200 people (that’s probably generous). There are about 18 million adults in Australia, so the chance that a random Australian adult is a member of this small group is 18.000.000 : 200 = 90,000.
About 180,000 babies a year are born in Australia and at most one baby every two years dies from whooping cough. That’s 1:360,000.Now do 90,000 x 360,000 and you get a chance of about 1 : 32 billion that exactly this mother had a baby who died from whooping cough.
Add to this that Light for Riley was started within weeks after Riley died and that the organisation ran smoothly from the beginning and we have another problem to add. On top of that these parents use their dead baby all over the media to promote a political agenda.
I don’t know what happened, but the story stinks big time.
39 people liked that. You read that correctly. I’ll list the likers at the end of this post. Francis’ colleagues joined in her conspiracy theory:
Don Houston [from Taree, NSW]…people accept this non-diagnosis without question or thought. What virus? Where did these mysterious genes suddenly come from? But an unvaccinated child shouldn’t be a threat to a vaccinated, and therefore protected, child? Nope, doctor is right and then you die because they are actually wrong more often than not and don’t really have a clue. And it is this that killed baby Rielly, not the unvaccinated or the fact that he is considered too young to vaccinate but medical incompetence and stupidity.
Robyn Langguth do you mind if i share this if i keep your name out of it?
Rixta Francis That’s fine. You can leave my name on if that’s easier. I’m already known as an evil anti-vaxxer everywhere. Imagine spreading some basic numbers. That’s about the worst you can do, according to some people.
Roselea Fitzpatrick Did she become a member before or after the death??
Rixta Francis It was way before Riley was born. [LIE]
Helen Absolon [from Brisbane] You would think that if she was so active in pro-vaccine stuff that she would have had the DPT in pregnancy and all adults around her vaccinated as well? Nothing about this adds up at all.
Bec Cameron [from Kwinana, WA] What if…. Riley never actually died….?
Rixta Francis What if there never was a baby Riley? Is that possible? I don’t know. But the only logic explanations are that either Riley and his whooping cough were made up. Or that the parents killed the baby themselves. But neither of them make any sense either. I’m waiting for a good explanation.
Christie Anne All these questions run through my mind too. And I feel awful because if he was a real baby, who really did die then that is beyond horrible and gut wrenching because babies don’t deserve to die no matter the reason, however I HATE that he is being used a pawn to push propaganda!
Rixta Francis A lot more babies die from the WC vaccine. And Riley didn’t even die from WC, but from pneumonia. And in my opinion he probably died from bad medical treatment. Assuming that Riley existed and died.
Rixta Francis …if she was so devastated, then why start a nasty, vaccine pushing organisation the next day? And would any parent use their dead child to push a political agenda?
Maybe the cause of death was made up. That’s always a possibility, But then the timeline still doesn’t make sense. I suppose we will never know what really happened.
Of course, this is not the first time we have met Francis:
Anti-Vaccination Australia is a closed group consisting of over 2000 members. Members are regularly warned by admins that the group is not closed, as many posts from the group feature regularly in national media. These are the admin of Anti-Vaccination Australia:
Breana Stanley – of Mernda, Victoria – is one of the AVA admins, above. This is Stanley’s comment about Catherine Hughes, regarding that new Mamamia article. From today, January 15 2016:
Amanda Malsem – of Mudgee, NSW – also made this comment about Riley’s family, in AVA. From today, January 15 2016:
Adam George Crabb is a Sydney-based, multi-conspiracy theorist who runs a conspiracy podcast called The Crazz Files. Three of his posts from Anti-Vaccination Australia feature today. I asked Crabb, on Twitter, if this publicly available Facebook photo is indeed of him; Crabb then deleted and changed his Facebook photo, so I guess this is him:
Publicly available photo courtesy Facebook.
On January 14 2016, Crabb made this comment about Catherine’s appearance on The Project:
Anyone catch the project Sydney show tonight? The little baby Riley dug pusher was on the show begging for all Australian woman to be vaccinated against whooping cough. It was like a well controlled soap opera & these sick people filmed their own dying baby & uploaded it to social media. If my child was on a hospital bed, filled with tubes & dying I front of my eyes, I wouldn’t be bloody filming it on my iPhone. Why would they do that unless they had plans of getting the media involved. Who films their own child dying in front of their eyes & then goes on a pro vaccine rampage? I took photos of my babies birth, I film life not death & certainly would not film the death of my own child then put it online & give the material to the Murdoch media.
49 people liked that post from Crabb. 49 people.
Crabb’s colleagues joined in:
Kitty Mandala [Nita King from Bassendean, WA] That was my first thought too….
Didn’t watch it but when I see the video getting sharedKeira Jane [from Mornington Peninsula, VIC] I wouldn’t even be taking a photo it’s just fucking weird! After yes that quite normal (I’ve had a stillborn so yes that’s normal for photos after) but not while they’re horrible sick.
Suzy Singleton [from Bribie, QLD] I flick the Chanel when I see that stuff come on, soon as its finished I go back
Kiata Hazell [from Newcastle, NSW] Boiled by blood her saying all pregnant women should have boosters!
Yes, let’s inject you with a vaccine and we have done zero tests on pregnant women while you’re pregnant. Even though it is in a category for not safe for pregnancy.
Ugh bloody infuriating. My hubby saw me yelling at the screen while it was on
Jute Smith [from Adelaide] BULLSHIT me and my antivax family were all yelling at the tv. by the way that woman looks demonic just see her eyes. One of the things she said that stood out was “antivax (forget what here actual name for use was) people are entitled to opinions but not entitled to their own facts”. in other words we are allowed to believe something but when we have facts proving them we cannot say or use them.
Amanda Malsem No she’s insinuating that our facts are crap & made up to begin with. As in there’s “THE” facts & they support them, not us.
Bernadette Harrison [from Melbourne] I reckon some big money is behind it one way or other.
Persephone Rose [from Atherton Tablelands, QLD] actually its very normal for photo’s to be taken both before and after death – i will be a volunteer infant and peri morti photographer when my youngest is a little older
its not that normal to try and have a policy implemented that basically insures the deaths of multiple other innocent babies because your baby died thoughMjay Pascoe [from Timboon, VIC] It’s part of the brainwashing these parents have had unfortunately. And I agree, there’s noway I would post my baby dying, but then I am awake, they aren’t. It is what us anti have got to put up with this until these people leave this earth when the stuff hits the fan. These vaccinated children do not have a proper functioning immune system. With the new super bugs coming, they will be the first to go :/
On January 13 2016, Crabb posted in AVA about Mia Freedman and Riley Hughes, Crabb’s commentary in bold:
Mia Freedman
14 hrs ·
Over Christmas, I met a GP who works in Mullimbimby which has one of the highest rates of non-vaccinated children in Australia. Their vaccination rates are close to third-world due to the rabid fear campaigns of anti-vaxxers who have actively and aggressively misled well-meaning people who just want to do the best thing for their babies and children and are hugely vulnerable to scare tactics and rubbish propaganda. Please remember: the “best” thing you can do for your precious baby is to have them vaccinated.
It’s too late to save beautiful Riley, but other children’s lives depend on your decision. This woman has an army of Pro Vaxxers & trolls who swallow all the propaganda she spews out.
Crabb’s colleagues offered their thoughts on Mia Freedman:
Cindy Alchin Close to third world? So they’re shipping expired vaccines to Mullumbimby and forcing them on children now?
The “best” thing to do is ignore this pharma cow and leave the choice open!!Adam George Crabb We have already directly challenged her to a live debate on radio but she totally ignored us. she is regurgitating propaganda & im utterly sick of these presstitutes & their Big Pharma interests.
Julie Meadows-Shera [from Jimboomba, QLD] She is not a very intelligent person, big mouth but no brain behind it. She couldn’t debate a flea.
Julie Meadows-Shera Doesn’t mention all the beautiful vaccine injured and dead children, she just mentions one dead child! Obviously had never even looked at statistics on that. Any child’s death is tragic. Needs her dose of reality I think!
Adam George Crabb The family of the child has started a foundation & are planning on vaccinating the third world. Poor people don’t need sanitation, clean water & food, they need vaccines.
Alicia Constable [confused] from Get off this site Mia Freedman. Come back when you’ve educated yourself
Brianandtracey Simpson JUST CHANGE A FEW WORDS AND YOU WOULD HAVE THE TRUTH ~rabid fear campaigns of big pharma / pro-vaxxers / mia freedman, who have actively and aggressively misled well-meaning people who just want to do the best thing for their babies and children and are hugely vulnerable to scare tactics and rubbish propaganda.
Gilly Bowyer-Braby Mia is delusional !
Julie Meadows-Shera Now Gilly that is being too kind!
Megan Johnson [from WA] Maia is paid by big pharma. Shes a drug whore.
Lynette Kennedy [from Lawson, NSW] She’s just a cash cow
Karalyn Sladka [from Sydney] Big Pharma whore.
The anti-vaccine thugs then turned their attention to Cath, again:
Jessica Kelly I don’t understand how a mother can share videos of her child dying. That truly does shock me. She also sold her story to That’s Life magazine. I don’t buy, watch or listen to mainstream media, just happened to see it in a doctor’s office and all of the puzzles were done
Shari Smoker [from Busselton, WA]Who would even film their baby dying in the first place? That’s pretty sick I’d say!
Adam George Crabb Great open minds here with people being able to put the emotional stuff aside. Who films a dying baby & puts the footage all over the Internet & lets the Murdock press do whatever they want with it. Who are these people & what really happened here because I smell a PR stunt for big pharma.
Julie Meadows-Shera To put a dying child on TV or the Internet is corrupt in my opinion, no one with a shred of humanity would or could do this! Regardless of what their aim is.
Adam George Crabb …The Murdoch media who are the worst scum on this earth were given open access to this poor child’s death. They are still using it now but refuse to print all the thousands of brain injuries, reactions & deaths due to vaccines. They just report on this one child & have milked this to incredible lows. Who films the slow death of their own child & puts it on to the Internet? Utterly sick & demonic if you ask me.
Serena Hohnke [from Brisbane] There is a letter I read a while ago about another baby Riley who died from vaccine injury and the mother was saying what about light for her baby Riley. It was a heartbreaking story but this never gets into the media.
Adam George Crabb I’m smelling a huge lie & PR stunt to enforce vaccine law changes in Australia.
Vesna Peacock [likely troll account] You may not recall but the media campaign started before he even died. It’s quite possible they were recruited specifically for their exhibitionist qualities as opposed to the majority of parents who wouldn’t consider doing this. A couple of babies die every year from Whooping Cough, yet this one has received saturation coverage and the others nothing. I was hoping a new martyr would be found for this year, but there’s no reprieve in the lead up to Australia Day awards. All in relation to baby not eligible for vaccination in the first place, yet claimed to be a preventable death.
Julie Meadows-Shera What about putting up all the pics of the vaccine injured babies and children and adults, what about interviewing them, and the ones who have lost children to vaccines!! What about them. Makes me want to spew
Also on January 13 2016, Crabb posted this astonishing attack on Catherine Hughes:
# I will be made out to be the Devil for posting this but look at what these people have done, along with the Murdoch media. It’s absolutely horrible for any child to suffer & die but it remains a fact in my eyes that these people & the media are now using this poor child’s death to push vaccines for big Pharma. When the pro-vaxxers get this type of material, all debate is shut down with facts & logic going straight out the door & replaced with fear mongering & propaganda. The Murdoch media along with Mia Freedman have used this child’s death to not only bring in harsh, Draconian vaccine laws but also to promote & push vaccines onto pregnant woman. Check out their website & here is a line from it… Firstly, the whooping cough vaccine needs to be offered to every woman during pregnancy. So here we seem to have an agenda & money is being made by these people but their poor dead child has been used the whole time. Remember, sometimes things are not what they seem & the media are master manipulators. This poor child’s death did come at the perfect time for the vaccine pushers so we must question everything, no matter what.
The anti-vaccination thugs added to Crabb’s claims:
Dean Grant Spot on adam. Keep being fearless mate. The world needs more truth tellers like you.
Sam Pearson [from North Sydney] The Riley mob and what they promote will end in other babies dying.
Cindy Alchin Also, wasn’t every relative and nurse who came in contact with him, vaccinated? His on earth did the “anti vax pertussis germ” break through that barrier??? But of course admitting the inefficacy of the vaccine would be to admit responsibility for his illness and subsequent death, and I’m sure no parent wants to admit that. I feel sorry for them that they believe and propagate the lies.
Adam George Crabb Yes, if you think about it, how many parents would be willing to look at the other side of the coin here. To accept that it may have been s vaccinated individual that did this. If a child is injured or dies as a direct result of vaccines then it’s the fault of the parents & Dr who administered it. I think in this case, Dr’s should be charged with murder so it’s that simple but they get away with it.
Louise Chamberlain That is really sad poor little thing but has she got any evidence to prove that non vaccinating caused the death of her baby before claiming we should all vaccinate because he died. It could have been a vaccinated individual with a “mild case” gone un noticed and whom infected the baby.
Adam George Crabb No evidence, ever, nothing & the Murdoch media went on a rampage against unvaccinated children & their families. The Murdoch drug empire along with their presstitutes were strongly lobbying the government for ages to change the laws. Tony Abbott would not budge as he did not vaccinate his own daughters with Gardasil. They worked day & night & then suddenly, out of the clear blue sky, poor little baby Riley died of whooping cough. This is how it was all done & the media are still using this baby to push in even more extreme law changes. We are losing our civil liberties & health freedoms faster than almost any other country, thats frightening.
Lynette Kennedy This women is a fool she’s either cashing in on her baby’s death, and allowing herself to be manipulated through her willful ignorance playing for the media and big pharma’s agenda. I wrote on one of the articles about how and why my 4 week old baby did NOT catch whooping cough in spite of being heavily exposed to it when my two little grand daughters had actually caught it from a “fully vaccinated” child. All is documented and was notified. Because I had it as a child and breast fed him which naturally protected him. They deleted my comments and deleted the truth. I have no sympathy for her, only for her baby and the babies who have died from vaccines who never get a mention.
Karalyn Sladka SBS also Big Pharma whores posted a story on this on their facebook page. Feel like a debate and to ask why (due to codex alimentarius) Intravenous Vit C therapy wasnt used as an option to treat so baby didnt have to die. By then this bay too young to be vaccinated that caught it from vaccinated siblings wouldnt be able to be used as a scare tactic. Thats how they get you.
It should be noted that Crabb is a valued member of many Australian anti-vaccination groups and pages. Only this morning he was being lauded as “our man” by Trent Wiseman – of Eltham, VIC – an admin of the Unvaccinated Australia group:
Great work from our man Adam George Crabb. May you succeed in getting the truth out there. In his interview with the incredibly qualified, experienced and knowledgeable Dr Sherri tenpenny, she states such perfect, clear, common sense statements incriminating vaccine safety and efficacy that it’s no wonder they fear her so. And the fact that she bases all of her views on package inserts, cdc data and scientific studies, there’s no denying her message. We’d all benefit from learning and breaking the argument down to her plain stated facts
“Our man”. Indeed. Here are the admins of Unvaccinated Australia, who value the work of their “man”, Adam George Crabb:
Thanks for reading. Alert your friends and family: this is the real anti-vaccination movement. And they are following the lead of the top anti-vaccine thug, Meryl Dorey, and her anti-vaccination cabal, the Australian Vaccination-skeptics Network.
And they are following the lead of Judy Wilyman of the now-discredited University of Wollongong, who has recently been awarded her doctorate, under the protection of her poor, maligned professor, Brian Martin.
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Update January 15 2016 at 1850 hours
Adam George Crabb sent me a series of tweets threatening me with legal action and “police friends”:
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Update January 16 2016
Today, January 16 2016, Rixta Francis has made even more disturbing claims about Catherine and Greg Hughes, and Light for Riley. From Vaccine Free Australia:
One more time about baby Riley and then I will shut up about it, till these people need another extra strong shot of media attention.
There are a few facts.
– baby Riley existed and died
– the parents are strongly involved with the SAVN
– the Light for Riley page organisation was started the day after Riley died and ran smoothly from the beginningFrom all the information I have received it’s very likely that this baby died from an overdose of bad medical treatments. Whether he had whooping cough of not is something we will never know, as these diseases are very commonly misdiagnosed.
These parents are clearly highly narcissistic attention junks (which is not uncommon at all). That would explain why they started the Light for Riley page the next day, displayed their grief all over the Internet and keep searching for media attention. People like that don’t mind using their own dead baby to push their own political agenda, especially if they can play the sympathy card. It explains why they have managed to manipulate everyone into believing that they just grieve and don’t want any more babies to die. And it explains why they have never ever shown any sympathy for parents whose children died from vaccines.
More than a thousand babies a year die in Australia, which would change the chance from 1:32 billion to 1: 32 million. If we would take both parents into account, it would become 16 million. Not a big chance, but much more acceptable.
We can expect that these people will come with new photos, videos or stories on a regular basis, as they will need their extra attention shots. And as long as the media will give it to them they won’t stop.
This is the best explanation I can come with. But if anyone knows something better, please let me know.
Again, the anti-vaccine thugs of Vaccine Free Australia joined in:
Rixta Francis And I know from 30 years of experience that these people are Oscar deserving actors. They can manipulate everyone into believing everything. At that moment it suited her to sound like a normal mother. Usually she doesn’t sound like that at all.
Taryn Matulj [from Caloundra, QLD] The universe works in mysterious ways. As hard as it is, I think these parents need to be reminded that it happened for a reason. I’m sure there is lots more to the story, especially around the mothers health, her microbiome and thus baby’s own capability of dealing with pertussis.
Christine Phethean [from Brisbane] It seems that she does know some facts but wants to keep her head buried in the sand. True immunity doesn’t require endless boosters and there are more and more newspaper articles stating 100% vaccinated children are getting WC. What is the point of vaccinating and how can it be “the best option we have” if the vaccinated still get sick?
Danielle Jupp [from Gold Coast, QLD] That’s what she believes and will continue to because it is making her money. SO why isn’t she advocating the vaccine from birth? Because it isn’t safe! SO how is it safe just 2 months later…. She and her sister are trolls from SAVN they will never stop their agenda. Well said Rixta.
Rebecca Wraight [from Perth] She is actually advocating it for third trimester apparently. My bro showed me the stupid vid but I didn’t listen as soon as I saw it was her
Debbie Parsons [from Geelong, VIC] I started with some sympathy for them and still have some for the fact they lost a child as I feel for anyone that has lost a loved one. What makes me angry is that these people videod their dying baby ‘started’ a foundation the day after the baby dies ( which does run smoothly) picks up immediate media attention, then they feel comfortable putting a video up on the Internet of their dying baby. We are supposed to respect others opinions we are supposed to respect life in all forms. This is something that I feel they don’t do. As for their ‘media mates! They have no respect for anyone with any different opinion to them. They are on nothing less than a witch hunt. We should make sure though that we do not allow anyone regardless of their opinions to be bullied. Let’s make sure we are not the bullies.
Dee Footman [ AKA Danielle Breytenbach, from Adelaide] Well said Debbie.
Kathy Matthew [AKA Kathy Campbell, from Tumbarumba, NSW] I just feel you can be strong in opinions – on TV and such – but be informed/researched NOT the witch hunt that it appears to be, and they seem to be strongly involved in – especially when the timing is about all the vaccination /welfare /childcare dramas/hype are going on.
ESPECIALLY when, as known, there are so many dying from vaccinations & while we know that the vaccinations are shedding & spreading the diseases
Just seems too well orchestrated
Melanie Nolan [from Melbourne] How could they possibly start a Facebook page only a day after their baby died?!
Rixta Francis Extreme narcissists don’t have a problem with that. For most pepole this is very hard to understand, but such people don’t care about anyone else but themselves. They don’t really care about their children either. Children are just a means to an end. A dead baby obviously suited their need for constant sympathy and attention. If the baby had lived they would have used him in another way.
I know. My mother was like that. It seems that I almost died as a baby. If that had happened she would have used me for the rest of her life to get sympathy.
Kerry Baker [registered nurse from Mount Tamborine, QLD] Almost exactly like the story of another baby whose name I shall not mention *sigh*
[Baker is referring to her harassment of the McCaffery family, for which she was censured by AHPRA]
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Update January 16 2016
Adam George Crabb sends me threats via Facebook private messaging:
Yesterday, Crabb posted this blog post on his website, which he took down immediately:
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The list of individuals who liked that first Rixta Francis post which was made in Vaccine Free Australia:
Sarah O’Reilly (unqualified practitioner at Butterfly Dawn)
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