A five-year-old boy has died and two younger children and a 42-year-old woman remain in critical condition after a stabbing at Valley Heights in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney.
Emergency services were called to Waratah Road shortly before 1pm on Sunday after members of the public discovered four injured people inside a vehicle. Bystanders contacted Triple Zero and provided first aid until police and paramedics arrived.
NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Peter McKenna said on Monday that all three children were aged under five. He described the woman as a suspect and said investigators were treating the incident as a domestic violence matter. No charges had been announced as of early Monday morning.
Child found dead inside vehicle
Police said one child was found dead in the vehicle. The two surviving children and the woman were treated at the scene for stab wounds before being taken to Westmead Children’s Hospital and Westmead Hospital. All three underwent surgery and were listed in a critical condition.
A crime scene was established along Waratah Road, a residential route in Valley Heights near Springwood. Police said they were not looking for any other person in connection with the incident.
The children’s father was contacted on Sunday. Authorities have not publicly confirmed the precise relationships among all four people, and investigators have not released details about a possible motive or the weapon involved.
Bystanders confronted with traumatic scene
Blue Mountains Police Area Command Superintendent John Nelson said the discovery would have been deeply distressing for the people who stopped to help. Police officers and other emergency workers who attended the scene were also being offered support.
“People are just going about a lovely Sunday afternoon, to be confronted with this is traumatic and tragic for anybody,” Superintendent Nelson said during a media briefing.
The actions of the bystanders formed an important part of the initial emergency response. They rendered first aid to the injured woman and children while contacting emergency services, according to police. Their intervention occurred in the first crucial minutes before paramedics reached the vehicle.
Investigation continues
Police said the woman was not previously known to authorities. Detectives are now working to establish the sequence of events leading to the stabbing and the circumstances in which the vehicle came to be on Waratah Road.
The early classification of the case as a domestic violence matter provides an investigative context but does not establish criminal responsibility. Police have not alleged in court that any person committed an offence, and the woman has not been charged.
Investigators are seeking dashcam footage and information from anyone who was in the Valley Heights area around the time of the incident. Witness accounts, nearby surveillance recordings and forensic examination of the vehicle are expected to be central to reconstructing what happened.
The tragedy prompted a large emergency response and shocked the Blue Mountains community. Valley Heights sits on the Great Western Highway corridor, roughly 70 kilometres west of central Sydney, between Warrimoo and Springwood.
Police appeal for information
Anyone with relevant information or footage has been urged to contact Blue Mountains police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Information can be supplied anonymously.
The investigation remains active, and police are expected to provide further updates as the conditions of the surviving children and woman become clearer and detectives complete their examination of the scene.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic or family violence, support is available through 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732. In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000).
