In a massive house fire in Sydney, Australia, three children, including a 10-month-old, were killed. The incident, which took place on Sunday, is being treated by Australian officials as a domestic homicide.
As per local reports, emergency services were called to the house at Lalor Park, about 35 km west of Sydney's city centre. After emergency services and firefighters arrived on the scene, it was discovered that the father had tried to trap his seven children and wife in the burning house.
'Dad Tried To Kill Us'
The 28-year-old man, who tried to stop police officials from entering the house and disrupted firefighters attempts to douse the fire, was arrested and treated for some inhalation. The accused has now been put into a medically induced coma due to internal injuries cause by smoke inhalation.
The father remains in the hospital and is being watched by police guards, who are waiting to interogate the man to find out the reason behind the killings.
As per Homicide Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty, the case has been registered as a one of filicide.
The father allegedly dragged and trapped his seven children and 29-year-old wife in the house. Of the seven children, three were killed. The deceased have been identified as a two-year-old boy, a four-year-old boy and a 10-month-old baby girl.
The remaining children - three boys aged four, seven and eleven, and a nine-year-old girl, were recused in time and treated for fire-related injuries.
The mother of the children is being treated for smoke inhalation. As per officials, all five of them are expected to make a full recovery.
As per a report by Sydney Morning Herald, one of the children who survived the fire told reporters that "dad tried to kill us".
Police officials have also alleged that the man held the door, trapping his seven children and wife, as they screamed for help.
"It does appear that the 28-year-old man is responsible for multiple deaths of young lives that have been tragically taken away,” homicide squad commander Danny Doherty said.
'Horrifying And Senseless'
Chris Minns, the Premier for New South Wales, condemned the incident, calling it "horrifying and senseless".
“These children deserved love and protection and a caring home. Our love and thoughts are with the surviving family members," Minns stated, adding that the NSW government will be assisting the family in their recovery.
"NSW will support them for as long as necessary, as they seek to recover from this unfathomable event. Our thoughts are also with the emergency service workers who fought to save lives last night, and who will also be recovering in their own way after a horrible night," Minns added
Filicide Cases On The Rise
Filicide is defined as the killing of one's own child. It is the second most common type of domestic homicide in the Oceanic country, right after the death of an intimate partner.
As per the Australian Associated Press, the rate of filicide in Australia remains at 20 cases per year
