The 16-year-old has been charged with murder and attempted unlawful killing after the alleged domestic violence attack at the family home in Bentley. His 12-year-old sister remains in a serious but stable condition
A 16-year-old boy has been charged with murdering his mother and attempting to kill his 12-year-old sister at the family home in Bentley, in Perth’s south-east.
Western Australia Police charged the teenager with murder and attempted unlawful killing after taking him into custody at the Mills Street property, where the body of a 35-year-old woman was found on Tuesday morning.
The boy is due to appear before the Perth Children’s Court today.
For legal reasons, the accused and his alleged victims cannot be identified.
Woman Found Dead Inside Bentley Home
Emergency services were called to the property at about 6.25am.
Police found the woman dead inside the house with injuries believed to have been caused during the alleged attack.
The teenager was arrested at the scene and taken into custody.
Following initial interviews and inquiries, detectives formally charged him with killing his mother and attempting to unlawfully kill his younger sister.
The Homicide Squad is leading the investigation, which police are treating as a suspected family violence homicide.
Twelve-Year-Old Girl Allegedly Stabbed
Police allege the 12-year-old girl was stabbed by her brother inside the home.
Despite suffering serious injuries, she managed to escape the property and call triple zero.
She was found near Albany Highway in Cannington, about 600 metres from the Mills Street house.
Passing motorists stopped to help the injured child before emergency services arrived.
She was rushed to Perth Children’s Hospital, where she remains in a serious but stable condition.
Two Crime Scenes Established
Police established two crime scenes following the incident.
The first was at the family home in Bentley, where the woman’s body was discovered. The second was created near Albany Highway, where the injured girl was located.
Forensic officers and homicide detectives are examining both areas as they work to reconstruct the sequence of events.
Investigators are also collecting CCTV, doorbell camera recordings and dashcam footage from nearby streets.
Police to Examine Previous Family Contact
Detective Acting Inspector Jessica Securo said investigators would examine whether the family had any previous contact with police.
That inquiry will seek to establish whether officers had previously responded to the home or received reports involving family violence, welfare concerns or other incidents.
“While the investigation remains in its early stages, police are investigating this as a suspected family violence homicide and Homicide Squad have carriage,” she said.
Police have confirmed there is no ongoing threat to the wider community.
Teenager to Face Children’s Court
The boy’s appearance before the Perth Children’s Court will be the first formal stage of the criminal proceedings against him.
The court is expected to consider his custody arrangements while detectives continue gathering evidence.
The charges are extremely serious, but the teenager is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless convicted.
Because he is under 18, strict laws prevent the publication of information that could identify him or the alleged victims.
Bentley Community Left in Shock
The alleged killing has deeply shaken residents of Bentley and the wider Perth community.
A mother is dead, a young girl remains in hospital and a teenage boy is now accused of carrying out both attacks.
Police are continuing to investigate the motive and the events that unfolded inside the home before emergency services were called.
Their immediate focus remains the recovery of the 12-year-old girl and the collection of evidence needed to establish exactly what happened.
