The tragic death of a six-month-old baby boy is being treated as an alleged family violence homicide, Western Australia’s top cop has revealed.
Emergency responders were confronted with traumatic scenes after being called to a home on Campion Avenue in Balcatta, northern Perth, early on Monday.
It’s understood the baby boy was found with stab wounds and died in front of other family members, including a teenage girl.
A woman in her 30s was taken to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital where she underwent a mental health assessment under police guard.
She was released from hospital on Monday night but remains in police custody.
No charges have yet been laid as police try to piece together what happened.
Harrowing new details emerged when WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch fronted a press conference on Tuesday.
‘This is a trauma that no one will ever recover from, and I think the family are just deeply affected,’ he told reporters.
The death of a baby boy is being treated by police as an alleged family violence homicide
Forensic officers spent much of Monday at the home where the six-month-old died
‘There would be very few cases where you would have a crime scene of such a horrific nature for our officers and all first responders involved.
‘And certainly those officers would be entitled to their critical incident leave, but that’s something that will most likely haunt them for the rest of their careers.’
Other family members are assisting homicide detectives with their inquiries.
‘It’s very confined to the members of that household,’ Commissioner Blanch said.
‘It’s a very sad story, obviously with the death of such a young baby.’
Premier Roger Cook said that his thoughts were with everyone impacted by the ‘dreadful’ tragedy.
‘Obviously, there are family and friends who are impacted by the information that is now coming through and it’s incredibly sad and horrible stuff,’ he said.
‘I also want to extend my thoughts to first responders who would have gone into that scene, confronted by some very difficult circumstances.’
Police were called to Balcatta in Perth’s north-west early Monday morning (pictured)
WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch (pictured) said emergency responders were confronted with traumatic scenes that will likely haunt them for the rest of their careers
The suburban street remained in lockdown for most of Monday as police, homicide detectives and forensic officers examined the crime scene.
The tragedy has rocked the family’s neighbours, who described the woman who lived at the home as a kind, sweet person who loved her kids.
‘I know she had been struggling lately with the new baby and her own personal stuff… When I heard that one of the kids had died, I just felt sick to my stomach,’ a neighbour told The West Australian.
Another man added: ‘Just for the (police) forensics to have to go to a job and deal with that is just, you know, there is nothing worse’.
