A 28-year-old man has been charged with three counts of murder after three of his children died in a house fire in Lalor Park, Western Sydney. The victims include a two-year-old boy, a six-year-old boy, and a five-month-old girl. The man, who is the father of the children, also faces five counts of attempted domestic violence murder.
The fire broke out around 1am on Sunday at a home in Lalor Park. Emergency services responded to the scene, where the three children were killed. The mother of the children, a 29-year-old woman, escaped the fire along with three other boys and a nine-year-old girl. The mother has since been discharged from hospital, and the four surviving children remain in stable condition.
The man appeared in Parramatta Local Court on Thursday, where he was represented by a lawyer and did not appear via video link from hospital. He did not apply for bail, and his case was adjourned until September 6. Police allege the man was solely responsible for lighting fires inside the home, using an accelerant that created a large amount of fire and smoke. It is also alleged that he locked doors to prevent occupants from escaping.
Detective Superintendent Daniel Doherty told a media conference that the man had been taken off sedation after suffering smoke inhalation and burns. He has spoken and communicated, and understands that three of his children have died and that he has been charged with nine offences. Police also allege the man tried to prevent a neighbour and responding officers from rescuing an 11-year-old boy, requiring officers to wrestle the boy from his grasp.
Neighbour Jarrod Hawkins ran into the burning home after hearing children yelling for help. He described struggling to see through thick smoke and hearing children coughing and yelling. He continued trying to rescue children even after police and firefighters arrived. The family has been offered counselling and emergency accommodation through the homicide victim's support group, and officers who responded to the fire have also been provided counselling.
