NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / World

Manhunt for five men after mum’s violent kidnapping ends in horror death

By Hannah Wilcox
news.com.au·
19 Apr, 2025 04:49 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Men are seen on CCTV entering the Bankstown home of a woman who was kidnapped and found dead in a burning car shortly after.

Men are seen on CCTV entering the Bankstown home of a woman who was kidnapped and found dead in a burning car shortly after.

  • New footage shows a mother of two being kidnapped. She was later found dead in a burning car in Bankstown.
  • Her 8-year-old son was beaten in the attack, and he remains in a coma at Sydney Children’s Hospital.
  • Police are searching for five suspects, saying they believe the crime was targeted and involved extreme violence.

New footage has emerged of the terrifying final moments of a mother-of-two who was violently kidnapped from her home by five hooded men and later found dead in a burning car.

The vision, blocked partially by trees and other vehicles, captured two cars, a white sedan and dark-coloured SUV, pulling up on the normally quiet Edward St in Bankstown about 10.30pm on Thursday night.

Figures are seen moving towards the house, with the 45-year-old woman appearing to be bundled into the SUV a short time later.

In the chilling minutes between, the woman was allegedly stripped naked and her 8-year-old son was beaten with a baseball bat by one of the masked intruders.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Men are seen on CCTV entering the Bankstown home of a woman who was kidnapped and found dead in a burning car shortly after.
Men are seen on CCTV entering the Bankstown home of a woman who was kidnapped and found dead in a burning car shortly after.

The child remains in an induced coma in Sydney Children’s Hospital in Randwick, as police continue their search for the five men who remain on the run.

Neighbours were shaken by the incident, one resident recalling having heard two loud screams on what is understood to be a usually quiet street.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Superintendent Rodney Hart said the group of men produced a gun, before forcing the woman into the back seat of a dark coloured SUV and driving her away.

A body was found inside a car that was engulfed by flames in Sydney’s south. Photo / 7News
A body was found inside a car that was engulfed by flames in Sydney’s south. Photo / 7News
The burned-out car was removed from Welfare St in Beverly Hills on Friday afternoon. Photo / Gaye Gerard / NewsWire
The burned-out car was removed from Welfare St in Beverly Hills on Friday afternoon. Photo / Gaye Gerard / NewsWire

An hour later, emergency services were called to a car fire at Welfare Ave, Beverly Hills, with firefighters battling the blaze but unable to save the vehicle.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“Fire and Rescue extinguished that vehicle, which was extensively damaged (and) a search of that vehicle unfortunately located a severely burned body in the back seat of the car,” Superintendent Hart said.

“Although visual identification at this stage is impossible, we strongly believe and suspect that the body is that of the 45-year-old woman and mother of those children who had earlier been kidnapped.

“This crime is horrendous. The level of violence is unheard of ... we strongly believe that this is a targeted incident.”

The woman’s husband and father to the two boys was interstate for business at the time and is returning to Sydney to assist police.

Superintendent Hart said police had spoken to a number of witnesses and are planning to do a “very, very large” canvas of CCTV footage across the six kilometres between the two crime scenes.

Police have not ruled out whether the incident was gang or organised crime-related.

It is unknown if the woman was dead when the vehicle was set alight.

A crime scene has been established and an investigation is under way. Photo / Gaye Gerard / NewsWire
A crime scene has been established and an investigation is under way. Photo / Gaye Gerard / NewsWire
Police and forensics established a crime scene at the woman’s home. Photo / Gaye Gerard / NewsWire
Police and forensics established a crime scene at the woman’s home. Photo / Gaye Gerard / NewsWire

A crime scene has been established at both locations as investigations by Strike Force Bushfield continue.

Forensic specialists, alongside detectives, were seen at the Bankstown property on Friday afternoon.

A large section of the street remained closed off on Friday afternoon, even to locals returning home.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“We have put all our resources on this strike force so we can assure that we will do the best for these children and the husband,” Superintendent Hart added.

“I can only imagine what those children went through, seeing their mother dragged out of the home.

“We are going to put all the support we can around them, and they are our main focus.”

Anyone with information is urged to come forward.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from World

World

Air attack on Israeli cities after strikes in central Iran

16 Jun 07:59 AM
World

Vietnam lawmakers abolish district-level government

16 Jun 05:27 AM
World

Tasmania police officer shot dead during routine duties

16 Jun 05:23 AM

The woman behind NZ’s first PAK’nSAVE

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from World

Air attack on Israeli cities after strikes in central Iran

Air attack on Israeli cities after strikes in central Iran

16 Jun 07:59 AM

Residential areas in both countries have suffered from deadly strikes in the conflict.

Vietnam lawmakers abolish district-level government

Vietnam lawmakers abolish district-level government

16 Jun 05:27 AM
Tasmania police officer shot dead during routine duties

Tasmania police officer shot dead during routine duties

16 Jun 05:23 AM
Samoan fashion designer shot dead at Utah protest against Trump

Samoan fashion designer shot dead at Utah protest against Trump

16 Jun 03:53 AM
How one volunteer makes people feel seen
sponsored

How one volunteer makes people feel seen

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP