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The Rhodesia Herald,

January 12, 1972

THE sun-tanned body of a Toronto woman has been found in a home freezer among frozen packages of turkey pies and vegetables.

Police said the body had been frozen for some months. It was found by four youths who opened the freezer after watching a horror movie on TV about a body in a trunk.

The victim was identified as Grace Evelyn Todd (34), who has been missing since July.

Her husband, David Wilfred Todd, a 38-year-old truck driver, has been charged with murder.

Police said they believed Mrs Todd was shot, but that a definite cause of death could not be established until the body had thawed sufficiently for a post-mortem examination.

Police said the freezer had been stored in the dining room of a house owned by Mr Marv Cassidy, since December 1, when Mr Todd moved to the Cassidy House.

The body was found by the Cassidy children, who had been told not to open the taped freezer. – Iana-AP.

LESSONS FOR TODAY

Gender-based violence is a heinous crime that affects victims and close people like children.

GBV is a widespread phenomenon; occurs in all societies and, affects women notwithstanding income, social status, race, class and/or ethnicity.

In most cases GBV leads to tragedies and has disastrous consequences like in the story.

Couples are encouraged to resolve their differences amicably. If they have irreconcilable differences, it is better to dissolve the marriage union, than to end up murdering one another.

They should also seek professional counselling, including from the church.

Post-traumatic disorders and other mental health issues are a result of being indirectly affected by GBV, like the children in the story that discovered the chopped pieces of their mother/relative in a freezer.