An Australian step-father will soon have his life support stopped after being bashed by a gang of up to 15 youths following a neighbourhood dispute over fireworks.
Jess Clark has confirmed to 9News that her step-father Anthony Clark was to have his life support turned off on Sunday after he was left braindead on Christmas night in Melbourne.
She believes Anthony was beaten up by the group as they were angry a firework had gone off, disturbing their dog. A neighbour also heard a firework before the incident.
While police have said up to eight people may have been involved, Jess reckons it was 15 and her stepfather "didn't really have a chance".
"They were yelling because a firework went off and their dog was barking… so now my dad's dead because their dog was barking," she told 9News.
"They knocked my mum out here on the driveway straight away.
"They had bats, they smashed my car, and then they just threw my mum around like a rag doll."
According to news.com.au a 50-year-old woman was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The decision to turn the man's life support off followed his granddaughter's third birthday. Jess said the child is waiting for her "poppy to come home".
Police are investigating the incident, but so far only Jess, her brother and their partners have been arrested in relation to it. They were charged with affray - meaning being involved in threatening or violent behaviour in public - and were bailed until May.
An 18-year-old was arrested at the scene, but later released..
