Police in Sydney, Australia have arrested a Bangladeshi‑origin man on charges of killing his wife and two children, aged 4 and 12.
He faces three counts of domestic violence-related murder, reports The Sydney Morning Herald.
Police alleged the man planned the gruesome killings for months, reportedly drawing inspiration from a similar crime interstate.
On Monday night, the suspect contacted the authorities via Triple Zero, allegedly telling the operator: “I kill my kids and my wife … with knives,” according to court documents.
Police then discovered the bodies of the man’s 46-year-old wife and their two sons, aged five and 12, all of whom had suffered significant lacerations.
Acting Superintendent Michael Moroney described the scene as “a particularly violent crime scene” encountered by the state’s most experienced investigators.
The family emigrated from Bangladesh around ten years ago. While the wife worked, the father served as the stay-at-home carer for the children, who both lived with developmental issues and autism.
The accused reportedly told police that he had suffered from depression since a cancer diagnosis in 2024, although the disease has been in remission since January 2025.
Investigators allege the father began planning the attack after reading a news article about a January murder-suicide in Perth, where parents “overwhelmed” by the care of their autistic children killed their children and themselves.
While no firearms were found at the Campbelltown residence, detectives located several items of interest regarding the injuries sustained.
The accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, did not apply for bail during a brief mention at Campbelltown Local Court on Tuesday.
His solicitor, Jawad Hosain, stated outside the court that his client was “distressed” and “distraught” while in police custody. The man was not previously known to police and had no prior criminal history.
The incident has left the local community in deep shock, with neighbours describing the children as “happy”. One resident, while laying flowers at the scene, asked, “How could you do this? They’re babies. Babies.”
NSW Premier Chris Minns stated that people were “rightly outraged and devastated” and confirmed the government would consider further funding to target domestic violence in the upcoming state budget.
“We have dramatically increased our domestic violence spending, both in capital terms, law enforcement terms, but also directly to frontline service providers,” Minns added.
Acting Superintendent Moroney reassured the public that domestic violence remains a “number one priority for NSW Police”. The tragedy occurred just days after 993 individuals were arrested during Operation Amarok, a statewide blitz targeting domestic and family violence.
