Huntingdale tragedy: Babysitter’s tribute to kids killed by dad Indika Gunathilaka in suspected murder suicide

Cute. Full of energy. And happy all the time. That is how a woman who babysat little Kohan and Lily — the two children who were killed by their father in Huntingdale — described the siblings as she visited the scene of the horrific tragedy. Speaking exclusively to The West Australian, the young mother, who did not want to be named, explained she had looked after the brother and sister since they were infants and was devastated when she heard what unfolded at the Essington Street property on Friday. “I have been crying all morning,” she said. “It’s just so sad. I babysat them, I used to look after them all the time. I watched them when they were babies. “They were just normal kids. They were cute, full of energy and happy all the time.” The young mum, who laid flowers as well as a card for the children’s mum at a makeshift memorial next to the police cordon, also said she knew the parents quite well, including killer dad Indika Gunathilaka. A local relief teacher, who once taught Kohan, also expressed her shock and sadness over the tragedy saying it was very upsetting. She also described Kohan, who was believed to have been going back to school on Monday, as a “very happy” and “excitable little boy”. WA Police confirmed on Saturday they were treating the incident as a domestic murder suicide but would not comment on the family dynamic or any issues concerning Mr Gunathilaka. Assistant Commissioner Allan Adams revealed that the children’s mother frantically called police concerned for their welfare after they did not arrive at a pick-up point. She then called family members who rushed to the Essington Street address before calling police. However she was not aware her children had died until after police attended the scene. Mr Gunathilaka previously worked as a town planner and set up his own business IMG Town Planning and Development Solutions in 2014. He was also a singer and founding committee member of the Western Australia Royal College Old Boys Association, a social group for Sri Lankan men. In December he posted an 18-minute video to Facebook claiming to have been recently diagnosed with depression and likened the illness to being in a “deep, dark hole”. “People who’ve known me well enough for long enough I feel certain they may not think of me as someone going through depression,” he said. “I’m not ashamed or embarrassed to say it out loud because it was not self-inflicted. It was not drug or alcohol-induced. It’s just how life worked out. “The unpleasant side of mental health issues... is, not only does it affect you, it affects the people around you,” he said. “We’ve all stuffed up. Sometimes big time. “Hopefully those stuff-ups or f... ups have not been irreversible or been detrimental to someone to the extent it’s irreversible damage.” Lifeline: 13 11 14 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)