Katrina Miles' body was found alongside those of her three sons and one daughter, who she homeschooled, early on Friday morning. Photo / via Facebook
Katrina Miles' body was found alongside those of her three sons and one daughter, who she homeschooled, early on Friday morning. Photo / via Facebook
A mother and her four children were among the seven people found dead today on a rural property south of Perth.
Katrina Miles' body was found alongside those of her three sons and one daughter, who she homeschooled, early on Friday morning, news.com.au reported.
Police have described the incident, ata rural property in Osmington, 20km northeast of Margaret River, as an "horrific tragedy" and are treating it as a murder-suicide.
Police officers on the scene. Photo / via Channel 7
Only a month ago, Ms Miles claimed on her Facebook page that: "My ex does not stop stalking me" according to The Australian.
News.com.au has seen a social media post from someone who knew the family which said: "Lovely people, but crazy ex-husband".
In a Facebook post on her own page, Ms Miles described herself as the "parent of four beautiful children". It's understood all four kids had autism.
The Osmington property is also home to Ms Miles parents, Cynda and Peter. The elder Ms Miles has a side business in making woollen goods. Mr Miles is a farm maintenance worker.
In a press conference this afternoon, Western Australia Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said police were called to the property at 5.15am Friday to find seven bodies. Two firearms were located at the property.
Mr Dawson described the discovery as "devastating".
Two adults were found outside the house and the other five victims, including four kids, were found inside.
The deaths are being investigated as a murder-suicide, according to the ABC. Mr Dawson told reporters in Perth he was unable to confirm this but said some of the bodies had gunshot wounds.
The Premier of Western Australia, Mark McGowan has tweeted about the incident, saying the events were "tragic and shocking".
Neighbour Richard Dosser told the ABC he had spoken to someone who lived in the house who worked as a farm maintenance worker.
"I was talking to him on the phone last night, I was going to ask him to come over tomorrow," he said.
Katrina Miles' body was found alongside those of her three sons and one daughter, who she homeschooled, early on Friday morning. Photo / via Facebook
"He seemed very vague."
Felicity, a neighbour, told Sydney radio station 2GB's Ben Fordham that somebody on her property heard gunshots early this morning and "thought it was just people out roo shooting".
The woman said the property contained two houses, one relatively new, for the occupants to live in.
The police commissioner said homicide detectives were helping local police with the investigation, supported by specialist units and a chaplain.
"This devastating tragedy will no doubt have a lasting impact on the families concerned, the whole community and, in particular, the local communities in our southwest," Mr Dawson said.
Mr Dawson said it was "not appropriate" to speculate on further details, but assured the community there were no "wider public safety issues".
Cynda Miles, the grandmother of the four children. Photo / via Facebook
The commissioner said the incident had taken its toll on first responders.
"This is an horrific tragedy for any person involved and, clearly, officers and other first responders attending these sort of scenes, they find it tragic. We will get on with our job but, regrettably, these tragedies do take their toll on everyone," he said.
In a statement, West Australian Police said officers were expected to remain at the home for "an extended period of time".
Police rushed to the rural property just after 5am after receiving an emergency call.
The commissioner confirmed the person who made the call had a connection to the property but would not confirm the nature of the link.
He was also unable to confirm the ages of the children as police were still notifying family members.
Mr Dawson also urged anyone with any information about the tragedy to contact police.
"There's a priority to these investigations so we'll immediately concentrate on the
actual scene itself and, as matters are further investigated, naturally, we would be asking for anyone that does know anything about this matter to contact police," he said.
