Australian dad charged with killing his children in fire
An Australian father has been accused of killing three of his children and trying to kill the rest of his family in a house fire.
The victims included a five-month-old girl, a two-year-old boy, and a six-year-old boy who perished in the blaze. Fortunately, three boys aged four, seven, and 11, along with a nine-year-old girl and their mother, survived the incident.
The 28-year-old man is charged with three counts of murder, five counts of attempted murder, and one count of property destruction. He remains hospitalized under police supervision.
The tragedy has shocked the nation, occurring against the backdrop of Australia’s government declaring domestic and family violence a “national crisis.” The father, alleged to have started the fire and hindered rescue efforts, is scheduled to appear in court via a remote bedside hearing on Thursday.
The alleged attack took place around 01:00 (15:00 GMT) in Western Sydney on Sunday morning, according to witnesses, police, and emergency services.
Neighbours and first responders helped rescue the four surviving children and their mother. The two- and six-year-old boys made it out of the house in a critical condition, but died in hospital a short time later. The five-month-old baby girl was found deceased.
The mother and her four surviving children are all in a stable condition, according to police.
