Haunting tale of child star Judith Barsi who was shot dead by her dad aged 10 after years of abuse
Judith Barsi was murdered at the age of just 10 by her own father, who also killed her mother before turning the gun on himself
Judith Barsi had a promising career ahead of her as a Hollywood child star.
She had roles in commercials before hitting the big time with voice parts in TV shows and films like Jaws: The Revenge, The Land Before Time and All Dogs Go to Heaven.
But sadly she never got to become the huge star she was destined to be as Judith was murdered at the age of 10 by her own father.
After years of terrifying abuse, József Barsi took his little girl’s life on July 25 1988 in a double murder suicide.
He also killed Judith’s mum Maria Virovacz before turning the gun on himself.
LA social services had been warned about the abuse by Maria but they did not act on it.
Barsi was a heavy drinker and was known for having a bad temper, which only got worse after a drink.
When Judith was born in 1978 Maria began preparing for her to become a star, teaching her all about posture and poise.
She was spotted in an ice skating rink when she was just five-years-old and booked 72 commercials during her short career.
Her $100,000-a-year income meant her family could buy a modest, 3-bedroom house in the West Hills area of Hollywood in 1985.
But all her success was hiding the dark reality of her life as she was the victim of horrific abuse.
Maria filed a police report against her husband in December 1986, accusing him of threatening to kill her and of choking her and hitting her in the face.
But police found no visible injuries and she eventually declined to prosecute.
Judith’s agent Ruth Hansen described her as a “bubbly, happy little girl” but her mood changed in the last year of her life.
Before she left the US for the Bahamas to film Jaws: The Revenge her father threatened her with a knife.
“If you decide not to come back, I will cut your throat,” he said.
Hansen said she witnessed Judith’s dad telling her: “Remember what I told you before you left.”
The little girl was said to be terrified and started crying.
She returned two months later and the abuse continued.
On one occasion Maria bought Judith a kite which Barsi tried to grab off her, when the little girl tried to protect her toy he called her a “spoilt brat” and broke it into pieces.
Judith was said to be under so much stress during this time she plucked out her eyelashes and her cat’s whiskers.
Friends said Judith had complained about her home life, saying: “I’m afraid to go home. My daddy is miserable. My daddy is drunk every day, and I know he wants to kill my mother.”
A neighbour told the LA Times that Barsi “told me 500 times he was going to kill his wife”.
The neighbour said: “I’d try to calm him down. I’d tell him, ‘If you kill her, what will happen to your little one?'”
“I gotta kill her too,” Barsi replied.
Other neighbours claimed he said he would kill himself and Judith and leave Maria alive “to suffer.”
Many of Maria’s friends tried to help but she refused, even turning down the chance to take refuge at one’s house.
In May, 1988, Hansen saw for the first time “how bad Judith was”.
Judith was scheduled for an audition, but started “crying hysterically” and “couldn’t talk” and so Hansen urged Maria to take her daughter to a psychologist.
The psychologist reported Judith’s case to social services, who were told by Maria, that she had plans to divorce her husband and move out of the family home.
Towards the end of her life Maria started to get a plan of action in place to get some space from her abusive husband.
She had rented an apartment in May where she would spend the days with Judith before returning home at night.
Maria always hesitated to move out permanently.
But it never happened and in July 1988 Barsi shot Judith and her mum before turning the gun on himself.
Judith’s final role was giving her voice to little dinosaur Ducky in The Land Before Time, which was released after she died.
Ducky’s signature line “Yep! Yep! Yep!” was put on her gravestone.
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