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Huntingdale: Forensics comb property for clues after father and kids found dead

Headshot of Emily Moulton
Emily MoultonThe West Australian
Essington Street in Huntingdale has been blocked off.
Camera IconEssington Street in Huntingdale has been blocked off. Credit: Kelsey Reid/The West Australian

The quiet suburban street where two children and their father were found dead in a suspected double murder-suicide remained cordoned off on Saturday morning as police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

Forensic officers were combing the Essington Street property from the early hours collecting pieces of evidence that could potentially help explain how the children and their father died.

Officers and emergency services swarmed the area just after 6.30pm on Friday after police received a call from a distressed family member.

The West Australian understands that when they arrived they found a girl and a boy aged four and six inside as well as their father. The children are believed to have been discovered in their beds.

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Officers on the scene.
Camera IconOfficers on the scene. Credit: Kelsey Reid/The West Australian

It is understood their mother was at the scene while shocked neighbours looked on in horror and disbelief.

A tent was erected just outside the home earlier on Saturday and a body was removed from the house around 6.45am.

A big section of the street, which has a basketball court, a school and a playground nearby, was still blocked off at both ends with police tape.

Detectives from the homicide squad said on Friday night the deaths were being treated as a suspected double murder-suicide.

Shocked neighbour Julie Fennel, who lives about 50m away from where the tragedy unfolded, said she heard police and ambulance sirens about 6.30pm.

She said she usually took her dog for a walk past the house that was now the subject of the major investigation, but it was usually a quiet street with no trouble.

Another neighbour, Samantha Pate, said she was shocked to hear about the tragedy.

“I’ve never really heard of any issues (on this street),” Ms Pate said. “We know our neighbours, we say hello to them.”

Police tape cordoning off the crime scene.
Camera IconPolice tape cordoning off the crime scene. Credit: Kelsey Reid/The West Australian

The stay-at-home mum said her family was not home at the time of the incident. Ms Pate added the Huntingdale community would “definitely” band together and support one another during the difficult days ahead.

In a statement issued late on Friday, police would only say they were investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths of three people at a home in Essington Street.

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