Judith Barsi's Father Threatened to Kill Her While She Was Filming 'Jaws: The Revenge'

The Land Before Time actor Judith Barsi was only 10 years old when she and her mother were murdered by her father, Jozsef Barsi. The Los Angeles Times reported the apparent murder-suicide on July 29, 1988, three days after the incident occurred. Investigators found Judith's body in a bedroom while the body of her mother, Maria Barsi, 48, was in a hallway. Both were shot and then soaked in gasoline before Jozsef turned the gun on himself in the garage. He then set the house on fire.

In the weeks following this tragedy, the media would uncover troubling stories of abuse. One neighbor told the Los Angeles Times that Maria often spoke of "threats her husband made against her and the daughter." Despite the fact that Maria reached out for help, it was simply too late. Why did Judith Barsi's father kill her and her mother? Here's what we know.

Less than two weeks after Jozsef brutally murdered his wife and daughter, the Los Angeles Times published a piece that detailed a life of fear and trauma for the young actor and her mother. "I’m afraid to go home," Judith reportedly told extended family as well as friends. "My daddy is miserable. My daddy is drunk every day, and I know he wants to kill my mother."

For five years leading up to the murder-suicide, Jozsef threatened his wife and child both to their faces and to others. Peter Kivlen was a friend of Jozsef's who told the outlet that he must have heard him say he wanted to kill his wife at least 500 times. "I’d try to calm him down. I’d tell him, ‘If you kill her, what will happen to your little one?'" Jozsef reportedly replied: "I gotta kill her too."

Jozsef's marriage had been suffering for quite some time due to his drinking problem. The 55-year-old and his wife were immigrants from Hungary, and some speculate Jozsef was sensitive about his accent. He reportedly often felt like an outsider, which was made worse when he was drunk. This, coupled with Maria's desire to leave him and the fact that Judith was seeing a psychologist, might have led to the crimes.

Ruth Hansen was Judith's agent and she told the Los Angeles Times that her client was a happy, bubbly child whose mood began to darken after she filmed Jaws: The Revenge. The fact that Judith had to travel to shoot the movie was reportedly greatly upsetting to Jozsef, who threatened to kill his daughter if she didn't return, according to Maria's brother Joseph Weldon.

A year after the movie wrapped, Judith was supposed to audition for an animated feature when she suffered a breakdown. "That’s when I realized how bad Judith was," said Hansen. "She was crying hysterically, she couldn’t talk." Hansen told Maria that Judith needed to see a therapist. The child psychologist phoned Hansen after one session and told her, "Ruth, it is extreme verbal, mental and emotional problems with this child and I have to report it to Children’s Services."

The case was handled poorly so Maria ended up renting an apartment with the intention of moving there with Judith. Maria spent days there with her daughter but continued to go back to their family home at night. Sadly she kept pushing back an official move-in date, citing various excuses such as wanting to celebrate Judith's birthday in June at the house. She loved her home and didn't really want to leave it. Unfortunately, she didn't break free in time.