WA: Man allegedly admits killing his two young step children

AAP General News (Australia)
04-24-2005
WA: Man allegedly admits killing his two young step children

By Alison Miller

PERTH, April 24 AAP - A man who allegedly confessed to killing his two young step children,
whose bodies were found in a West Australian cemetery, is due to face court today.

The 36-year-old walked into the Derby Police Station in WA's far north at 3am (WST)
yesterday and confessed to killing the four-year-old girl and her 14-month-old brother,
police said today.

Police went to the town's cemetery where they found the children's bodies.

It will be alleged the man first assaulted his estranged de facto wife, who is the
mother of the children, before taking the children to the cemetery where he allegedly
killed them.

The 29-year-old woman was taken to Derby District Hospital and is in a serious condition.

Police have not disclosed how the children died.

The man was charged with three counts of causing grievous bodily harm.

But the charges relating to the children were likely to be upgraded pending the results
of a post mortem examination, scheduled for later this week, police said.

Acting Deputy Commissioner Murray Lampard said the tragedy would have a devastating
effect on the families involved, and the close-knit town of Derby and has appealed for
people to remain calm.

"I appeal to all the family members to show restraint and to have faith in the local
police to ensure justice is done," Acting Deputy Commissioner Lampard said in a statement.

Police have transferred the man from Derby for his safety and also to help defuse a
potentially volatile situation between the families and the broader community.

It is understood the man will appear before a magistrate in Broome in a specially convened
hearing today.

Acting Deputy Commissioner Lampard said counselling services had been arranged through
the Department of Community Development for the families affected by the children's deaths.

AAP ajm/cat/sd

KEYWORD: CHILDREN LEAD

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