Australia, Faulconbridge - NSW - 2 boys aged 9 & 11 found deceased at home, Mother arrested, Sept 10th 2024

Welcome to Websleuths!
Click to learn how to make a missing person's thread

DNA Solves
DNA Solves
DNA Solves

New Posts

Blue Mountains mother sacked following mental health issues​


Paywalled (I assume, but I can read full article)

Basically, my summary - she was sacked by a former employer due to mental health issues, and this was followed by a years-long and quite messy court battle. She had various mental health diagnoses including PND, anxiety and panic attacks and struggled with perfectionism. She and her husband have been separated but co-parenting for years.
 
drsleuth said:

Patricia Smith v Industrial Relations Secretary in respect of Local Land Services - NSW Caselaw

www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au
Click to expand...
She had been hospitalised back then for her mental condition this article quotes. Clearly after reading this article, she should not have been solely in charge of the two little boys….. she felt that she wasn’t able to do her work to her own standards since having the children!!!!!

Alarm bells should have rung back then!!

“84. Ms Stanford also records in these notes that "work used to be a big part of [the Applicant's] identity (before kids)". In cross-examination, the Applicant accepted that this was a fair statement and also stated that her identity shifted after having her children.

85. Dr Chow's First Report … also indicates that the Applicant had reduced resilience to cope and escalation of personality vulnerability after returning from her second period of parental leave.

86. Further, there is overwhelming evidence that the Applicant had manifested her underlying illness in a number of episodes at work where she appeared unable to cope with work and her inability to perform work. In cross-examination, the Applicant stated that while there had been discrete incidents at work between March 2016 and May 2017, by the last week of May 2017 she "just stopped functioning". This is consistent with Ms Elliott's witness statement, which indicates that in the second half of May 2017, the Applicant appeared very upset on numerous occasions and informed Ms Elliott that she had been experiencing panic attacks.

87. The Respondent submits that the medical and objective evidence overwhelming supports that the Applicant developed an anxiety and adjustment disorder in the period following the birth of her second child in 2015. This illness was a manifestation of the Applicant's underlying rigid personality traits and associated vulnerability to anxiety and adjustment disorder. It was triggered by a shift in the Applicant's identity following the birth of her second child and return to work following that period of parental leave.”
 
Whatson said:
Heinous.

Lock up. Throw away key.
Click to expand...
I struggle to think that a psychotic episode could allow a person to do all that was needed to kill two little boys! To obtain drugs, then administer them to the boys, then put them into bed, to stab both of them multiple times, and not snap out of it? I do need to learn more about psychotic episodes, but I really struggle with this…..
 
Marg944 said:
She had been hospitalised back then for her mental condition this article quotes. Clearly after reading this article, she should not have been solely in charge of the two little boys….. she felt that she wasn’t able to do her work to her own standards since having the children!!!!!

Alarm bells should have rung back then!!

“84. Ms Stanford also records in these notes that "work used to be a big part of [the Applicant's] identity (before kids)". In cross-examination, the Applicant accepted that this was a fair statement and also stated that her identity shifted after having her children.

85. Dr Chow's First Report … also indicates that the Applicant had reduced resilience to cope and escalation of personality vulnerability after returning from her second period of parental leave.

86. Further, there is overwhelming evidence that the Applicant had manifested her underlying illness in a number of episodes at work where she appeared unable to cope with work and her inability to perform work. In cross-examination, the Applicant stated that while there had been discrete incidents at work between March 2016 and May 2017, by the last week of May 2017 she "just stopped functioning". This is consistent with Ms Elliott's witness statement, which indicates that in the second half of May 2017, the Applicant appeared very upset on numerous occasions and informed Ms Elliott that she had been experiencing panic attacks.

87. The Respondent submits that the medical and objective evidence overwhelming supports that the Applicant developed an anxiety and adjustment disorder in the period following the birth of her second child in 2015. This illness was a manifestation of the Applicant's underlying rigid personality traits and associated vulnerability to anxiety and adjustment disorder. It was triggered by a shift in the Applicant's identity following the birth of her second child and return to work following that period of parental leave.”
Click to expand...
Sadly I agree.

This case just goes to show, that appearances on social media can be an illusion.

They looked like such a normal happy family...........
 
Marg944 said:
I do need to learn more about psychotic episodes, but I really struggle with this…..
Click to expand...

I do, too, because I think psychosis/insanity is very specific. To be delusional and out of touch with reality (psychotic and truly believing a false reality and no understanding of right and wrong) versus being extremely anxious, stressed-out, or feeling unable to cope and wanting to end it, and deciding to take your kids away forever, but you aren't actually insane (choosing murder and not actually experiencing psychosis).

I do think someone can lose touch with reality temporarily, though, and it may be more complicated than I'm expressing.
 
Marg944 said:
My heart goes out to Acting Superintendent John Nelson, of the Blue Mountains Area Command. I just worked out where I knew his name from. He was in charge of the search for dearest Charlise Mutten in the Blue Mountains in January, 2022. I am sure I saw him in court the day that Charlise’s killer was sentenced. I congratulated all of the Police as I was leaving the court, and I meant it from the bottom of my heart.

My goodness, I can’t imagine what this Superintendent has seen in his work, and now he is in charge of this double murder……. Again involving defenseless, gorgeous, little children.
Click to expand...
Thanks Marg, Im sure you are right, this absolutely will hit hard for all responders and compounded for those who recently worked on Charlise’s murder.
 
Case number
2024/00340473
List number
-

Location
Parramatta
Room
Unassigned

Criminal
Presiding officer
  • Unassigned

Court
Local Court
Listing type
First Appearance (Committal)
 

Woman, 42, charged with murder of two boys, 9 and 11, in Blue Mountains home​

Police have issued a major update after two boys were found dead in a Blue Mountains home earlier this week.

On Friday, a NSW Police spokesman said Ms Smith was taken to Parramatta Police Station and charged with two counts of murder.

She has been refused bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court on Saturday.
 
www.theguardian.com

Mother of two boys found dead in Blue Mountains home charged with murder

The 42-year-old woman was charged with murdering the boys aged 9 and 11, in Faulconbridge will appear at Parramatta local court on Saturday
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com

NSW police said the boys’ 42-year-old mother was also found at the scene with stab wounds, and was taken to hospital in a critical but stable condition.

She was released from hospital on Friday and taken to Parramatta police station, where she was charged with two counts of domestic violence-related murder, police said.
 

Latest News - NSW Police Public Site

www.police.nsw.gov.au www.police.nsw.gov.au

Woman charged with alleged murder of two boys - Faulconbridge​

Friday, 13 September 2024 08:31:21 PM


A woman has been charged following the deaths of two children in the Blue Mountains earlier this week.

About 12.40pm on Tuesday (10 September 2024), emergency services were called to a home on Chapman Parade, Faulconbridge, following a report for a concern for welfare of a woman and two children.

It will be alleged that the bodies of two boys, aged nine and eleven, were found inside the home by a male family member.

A 42-year-old woman – the mother of the two boys – was also located in the home with multiple stab wounds.

NSW Ambulance paramedics treated the woman at the scene before she was taken to Westmead Hospital under police guard in a critical but stable condition.

Officers from Blue Mountains Police Area Command established a crime scene and commenced an investigation.

Today (Friday 13 September 2024), the woman was released from hospital where she was taken to Parramatta Police Station and charged with two counts of murder (DV).

She has been refused bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court tomorrow (Saturday 14 September 2024).
 
This article from today's SMH is probably paywalled but it basically goes over her previous mental health and also some examples of other mothers who have killed and how its usually a result of serious mental illness - and how often mothers do ask for help or say they're afraid they'll hurt their children but they often aren't taken seriously.

Burke says services should be better trained to identify red flags. Smith, who was not known to child protection teams within the Department of Communities and Justice, “is the sort of person who needed a family agency stepping in every week to keep her afloat”, she says. “Our argument from our studies is that women do seek help but nobody appreciates the problems they have looking after their children. The staff in those services are not educated to appreciate that there are risks of filicides that they see, so they don’t probe deeply into what’s disturbing the person.”
Click to expand...
 

‘Absolute tragedy’: Mum faces court over alleged murder of two boys in Blue Mountains home​

A Blue Mountains mother has faced court for the first time since being charged with the murder of her two young sons.

Police believe one of the boys allegedly murdered by his Blue Mountains mother may have been killed up to 17 hours before his brother, court documents have revealed.

According to court documents, police allege Ben was murdered sometime between 12.40pm and 1pm on Tuesday afternoon.

She appeared before the court via videolink from Amber Laurel Correctional Centre, appearing on screen wearing a hospital gown and with her arm in a cast.

Ms Smith will next appear in court on November 8.
 
www.smh.com.au

Wearing medical gown, Faulconbridge mother fronts court

Trish Smith appeared via video link at Parramatta Local Court on Saturday, charged with the murder of her sons, aged 9 and 11.
www.smh.com.au www.smh.com.au

Wearing medical gown, Faulconbridge mother fronts court​


Paraphrased:

Police will allege TS killed her sons, Russell, 11, and Benjamin, 9, between Monday night and 1pm on Tuesday when emergency services were called by the father

Police will allege, according to court documents, that the children were murdered between 7.30pm on Monday and 12.30pm on Tuesday.

TS appeared via AVL, wearing a medical gown & with a cast on one arm & a bandage on her neck.



TS was represented by criminal lawyer Paul McGirr, who confirmed no bail application would be made.

TS will next appear at Penrith court on Nov 8th
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

DNASolves

Who is Fairfield County Jane Doe (1993)?

Members online

... and 166 more.
Total: 695 (members: 167, guests: 528)

Online statistics

Members online
167
Guests online
528
Total visitors
695
Totals may include hidden visitors.

Forum statistics

Threads
606,424
Messages
18,203,465
Members
233,844
Latest member
ShellBear77
Back
Top