Paramedics were unable to save the infant, understood to be a boy as young as six months. Warning: this story contains distressing details.
Paramedics were unable to save the infant, understood to be a boy as young as six months. Warning: this story contains distressing details.
By Jamie Freestone and Hannah Murphy
Updated July 15, 2025 — 11.23amfirst published July 14, 2025 — 5.35pm
Warning: this story contains distressing details.
The state’s police commissioner has confirmed that the death of a baby in a Perth home this week is being treated as a domestic violence homicide.
Paramedics were unable to save the infant, understood to be a boy as young as six months, and understood to have suffered stab wounds.
They had been called to the property on Campion Avenue, Balcatta, around 3am Monday.
Commissioner Col Blanch told reporters on Tuesday morning that the incident police were called to just after 3am Monday was believed to be “confined to the family”.
The mother, in her 30s, who had been taken to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital after the incident, was released from hospital last night or this morning but remained in police custody, Blanch said.
It’s not believed the woman was physically injured.
“My understanding at this stage, noting that it is early in the investigation, is that the family were present; I think there was a male or female and another young person present,” he said.
Asked how they were, he said, “As you can imagine, this is a trauma that no one would ever recover from.”
Detectives remain at the scene.
“There would be very few cases where you would have a crime scene of such a horrific nature for our officers and all first responders involved,” Blanch said.
“And certainly those officers would be entitled to their critical incident leave, but that’s something that will most likely haunt them for the rest of their careers.
Neighbours heard nothing, with Luke, who asked his last name not be used, said he lived near the woman allegedly involved.
“I got a knock on the door at 10 o’clock in the morning, and the police were asking me a few questions,” he said.
“It’s awful, something happens on the street you live at … it’s pretty terrible.
“All day the cops have lined up on the street and sectioned [it] off.”
Luke said police were tight-lipped about what happened.
“My neighbour who knows more than I do told me what happened – for the forensics to have to go to a job like that … there’s nothing worse,” he said.
A police spokesperson said family members and residents were helping officers with their investigation.
Premier Cook told reporters on Tuesday morning that his heart went out to everyone impacted by this “incredibly sad, horrible” death, including the first responders.
“The police have not actually laid charges yet, and so we’ll wait for them to undertake their investigation [before commenting further],” he said.
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Jamie Freestone is a senior reporter at 9 News Perth.
Hannah Murphy is a journalist with WAtoday.Connect via email.
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