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Father charged with 3yo son’s murder

A toddler died and a man is critical after an incident in Sydney. Credit TNV
A toddler died and a man is critical after an incident in Sydney. Credit TNV

A father has been charged with the murder of his three-year-old son who was found stabbed to death in a Sydney apartment.

Police charged the 45-year-old man with murder on Friday night. He was refused bail to and will appear at Parramatta Bail Court via Audio-video link on Saturday.

The man had been staying with his aunt in Riverwood, in southwestern Sydney, when he allegedly attacked his three-year-old son with a kitchen knife on Wednesday.

He then allegedly stabbed himself. His aunt came home to find the boy’s body next to her nephew about 4pm on Wednesday. He was taken to hospital and underwent surgery.

He is in a stable condition and is under police guard, The Daily Telegraph reported.

The man had been raising his son after the boy’s mother died following an illness.

They had been living in the Blue Mountains but are thought to have travelled to Riverwood after an incident with the father’s current partner.

Stabbing Scene Child Found Deceased
A view of the apartment complex on Washington Ave, Riverwood where at 4pm Wednesday 31 May 2023. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard
Stabbing Scene Child Found Deceased
Police and Forensics are seen at the apartment complex on Thursday. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard
Stabbing Scene Child Found Deceased
Officers at the scene of the tragedy. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

Superintendent Sheridan Waldau said on Thursday the homicide squad were investigating.

A young boy died and a man is critical after an incident in Sydney. Credit TNV
A young boy died and a man is critical after an incident in Sydney. Credit TNV

She confirmed police believe the child had lived with the 45-year-old man and that the woman who raised the alarm “normally” lives in the apartment on her own.

The incident was “very traumatic” for those who attended, Superintendent Waldau said.

“This is obviously a horrific incident … any kind of incident involving a small child is always a tragic incident and our condolences go out to the extended family of the child,” she said.

“Unfortunately, police attend domestic violence incidents all the time. We attend 140,000 incidents every year and unfortunately some of them end up in homicides.

“It’s one of the jobs that we as police always hate going to.”

Emergency services rushed to the Riverwood apartment block after reports of a concern for welfare. Photo: ABC
Emergency services rushed to the Riverwood apartment block after reports of a concern for welfare. Picture: ABC
Emergency vehicles line the street outside the scene. Photo: ABC
Emergency vehicles line the street outside the scene. Picture: ABC
The street remains blocked off. Photo: ABC
The street was blocked off. Picture: ABC

Some of the boy’s family members arrived at the scene and were “very upset” by the incident.

The grieving family members were crying near the apartment.

One could be heard screaming “Oh my god, oh my god, no, no, no.”

It's understood that emergency services were called to this apartment block in Riverwoodafter reports of a concern for welfare.
Emergency services were called to this apartment block in Riverwood after concern for welfare reports.
Buses are diverting away from Washington Avenue due to the police operation. Motorists are urged to do the same.
Buses are diverting away from Washington Ave due to the police operation. Motorists are urged to do the same.

The news horrified the neighbourhood, according to resident David Chen.

“It’s a close community and to hear about this news is incredibly concerning,” Mr Chen said.

“I have my own child so to hear something like this it’s very unfortunate.

“I’ve been here six years and this is the first time we’ve had any events like this, so we are all shocked.

“We didn’t hear anything either, it’s a close-knit community, so it seems like it was very under the radar.”

“It’s a surprise actually, it’s kind of a senior citizen area,” another resident said.

Police have urged anyone with information to come forward.