Melbourne family deaths: mother believed to have killed her children before taking her own life

A Melbourne mother found dead along with her three children is believed to have killed them before taking her own life in what Australian police are treating as a murder-suicide.

The bodies of Katie Perinovic, her daughters, Claire, 7, and Anna, 5, and her son, Matthew, 3, were discovered inside their home in Tullamarine Thursday afternoon, causing shock waves in the normally “quiet” community.

Katie Perinovic’s husband, Tomislav, 48, called emergency services and was questioned by police before being released without charge.

“Investigators do not believe the 48-year-old was involved and police are not looking for anyone else,” police said today.

“Investigators from the Homicide Squad have formed a preliminary opinion that the 42-year-old woman is responsible for all four deaths and, upon completion of the investigation, a report will be provided for the coroner’s consideration.”

Acting Deputy Commissioner Robert Hill said police will work to support the families of those involved and ensure they receive the help they need.

“I know there will be many people in the community who are struggling to understand and accept this tragedy,” he said.

This has also been an incredibly difficult time for the police and paramedics, who responded and attended the scene yesterday.

“This has been an incredibly harrowing experience for all concerned.”

Neighbors Daniel and Vicky Schembri have been residents of Burgess St, where the Perinovic family lived, for 48 years.

They revealed that the last time they saw Katie Perinovic was on Wednesday, less than 24 hours before she and her three children were found dead.

She was leaving a bag of plums at her door.

“She called the day around 5.30pm, I said ‘Thank you so much’ and she said ‘Bye,’” Daniel Schembri said.

The Schrembis said Tomislav Perinovic moved next door about 25 years ago before meeting his future wife.

“Then he got a girlfriend and said, ‘I’ll be married soon,'” Schrembi said.

“She, Katie Perinovic, was happy. She came in one day and said, ‘I’m pregnant.’ As soon as they were married, she became pregnant.

“So we started buying things for the children, for Christmas and Easter.”

The Schembris saw children “very active” all the time, when they played and rode their bikes down the street.

The oldest, Claire, was taking dance lessons. The youngest was about to start school.

“Now in heaven,” said Daniel Schembri. “They were very good children.”

The Schembris were home on Friday. But, like other neighbors, the first indication they had that something was wrong was that the emergency services rushed out into the street.

“We saw Tom sitting in the chair with his hands behind his back,” he said.

“He was quiet, numb. And then they took him away in the police car. He was really stressed, believe me.

“But a police officer was there and he said, ‘Come in and stay there,’ so I was too scared to go out.”

Daniel Schembri said it “breaks my heart” to think of the three children wishing them a Happy New Year, eating candy, just two weeks ago.

“How could this happen?” he said.

On Friday, mourners deposited flowers and cards at the property.

One girl, Anabelle, left her handwritten note on the doors moments before detectives left the scene with large bags of evidence.

“To Claire, Anna, Matt and Katie. You are always very kind, loving, caring and Claire was my best friend. [best friend forever] forever. Anabelle’s love, “the note read.

Lee, team manager for the West Meadows Paramedic Unit, also laid flowers at the site and took a moment to reflect outside the home.

Speaking to NCA NewsWire, he said five of his paramedics responded to Thursday’s horror and were “shocked.”

“The loss of three children deeply affects everyone, including our staff,” he said.

“It’s not normal. Yes, we have distressing elements in our role, but incidents like this are rare.

“Are [the paramedics] affected – it’s tragic, and as West Meadows paramedics we wanted to share our condolences with the family and the rest of the community. “

Family friend and neighbor Marie Groves said the last time she had a proper conversation with Katie was on November 29 for her daughter’s birthday.

She said Katie was “unusually withdrawn and quiet” that day.

“It is incomprehensible that this happened,” Groves said Friday morning.

“She was a feature of the neighborhood, it was Katie with the smiling face.

“On November 29, I had him come and help me celebrate my daughter’s birthday with my children.

“She was only there for a short period … her two older girls were very similar to my younger daughters, they were chatting and laughing, typical 7 year old girls. They were beautiful girls.

“That day she seemed to be a little withdrawn, that was not usual, she was very quiet … in hindsight, maybe that was an indication.”

Groves said he didn’t know Katie’s husband Tomislav very well.

“This would never have been on the radar of something that could have happened to her family because she was very protective of them,” he said.

A small group of suit detectives arrived at the home around 9:15 a.m. today and entered the home, which was still cordoned off with police tape.

One, wearing masks and gloves, took video images of the front of the house.

Two uniformed officers remained at the front in a police vehicle.

A neighbor, who wanted to remain anonymous, told NCA NewsWire that he knew of Katie’s three children from school.

“It’s devastating what happened. The kids went to the same school as my kids. It’s really sad,” she said.

Another neighbor, Irene, said she was watching the tragic events unfolding on her television just a few doors down when a police officer knocked on her door for information.

He said the family had moved to the streets a few years ago.

“Sometimes I have seen them go with young children on bikes,” he told NCA NewsWire.

“But it is usually a very quiet street, so I was very surprised. It is horrible.”

WHERE TO GET HELP:

• 0800 543 354 (0800 LIFELINE) or free text 4357 (HELP) (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
• https://www.lifeline.org.nz/services/suicide-crisis-helpline
• YOUTH LINE: 0800 376 633
• I NEED TO TALK? Toll Free or Text 1737 (Available 24/7)
• KIDSLINE: 0800 543 754 (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
• WHATSUP: 0800 942 8787 (from 1:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.)
• DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111757 or TEXT 4202
• NATIONAL ANXIETY 24 HOUR HELP LINE: 0800 269 4389