Jamie Phillip Mongoo: Geraldton mother tells of ongoing nightmare after home invader targeted young daughter

A Geraldton mother — whose young daughter was targeted in a chilling burglary which saw an intruder wake her up, touch her and whisper to her — has spoken of her family’s ongoing pain almost one year on. It’s a scenario that would be every parent’s worst nightmare — a stranger breaks in and puts your child in harm’s way, in their own home, in their own bed. It’s been a traumatic reality for the Strathalbyn family after Jamie Phillip Mongoo broke into their home last June through an unlocked door and crept his way to an eight-year-old girl’s bedroom where he climbed up her loft bed, touched her and whispered into her ear. It was only when the girl told the prowler to stop, go away and that she didn’t like it, that he fled. The girl told her mother, who initially thought it was a bad dream. It was only when she checked her CCTV camera footage the next day that she realised her daughter had been right. Mongoo is due to be sentenced next month over this burglary and a spate of other separate burglaries and offences, after admitting his guilt. The Strathalbyn mother of young children, who wants to remain anonymous to minimise any risk of a repeat to this ordeal, has decided to speak out again about the impact on her family and to send a clear message to the community. “Our lives were so different to the ones we lead today. We lock our doors, our windows, I am consumed with home safety and find myself double and triple checking every single door and window,” she said. “We don’t feel safe at home.” The mum said her daughter had changed since the incident. “My little independent girl who was so happy doing things by herself, now rarely leaves my side at night,” she said. “She doesn’t like being alone in a room sometimes and went through a stage where she didn’t want to go to school. “I am so grateful for the school’s support, she will never forget what happened, but I don’t want this incident to define her. She is so much more than this.” The mother said she was still haunted by many unanswered questions and “what ifs” surrounding the bizarre break-in. “Why if you were coming to my house to steal from me would you hang around in my eight-year-old’s bedroom?” she said. “If you were looking for valuables, why not grab my laptop or my TV? I can’t believe he didn’t know what he was doing, that he had (no) ill intentions towards my daughter.” The mother said she was immensely proud her daughter spoke up in the moment. “I am so proud of her that I don’t have the words, but I can’t help dwell, though, on the what-ifs. What could have happened if she didn’t have her voice, didn’t have the courage to speak up,” she said. “I replay that night over in my head where she told me, and I thought it was just a dream. When your child tells you a scary man was in her room, of course you think it is a nightmare like a monster under the bed. “But the monster was real and it was in her room, talking to her.” “I can’t use that cliche anymore, that monsters are not real. That innocence has been taken from all of us.” The mother is keen to stress she wishes no ill towards Mongoo, but she feels justice needs to be served. “Whatever sentence is passed down needs to have the safety of the community in mind. I know all too well that this could have gone a lot worse than it did and my daughter’s strength and courage may very well have saved her from an unspeakable trauma,” she said. “But what about if there is a next time? What about if the child hasn’t been taught to speak up, to tell someone ‘I don’t like it — go away!’ What will happen then?” Despite the ongoing trauma, the mum wanted to ensure something positive can come out of it and relayed this message to other parents. “Teach your kids it’s OK to speak up, to shout out when they feel scared, in danger or threatened. Tell them to make sure people respect their boundaries, their safety. I hope all parents can learn from our horrible experience,” she said. At his last court appearance, Mongoo, who is facing 25 charges in total, was told an immediate jail term was “inevitable”. He is due to be sentenced on May 22.