By Jessica McSweeney and Clare Sibthorpe
A father who allegedly set fire to his home and trapped his children in the blaze has been charged with murder.
The 28-year-old man allegedly set fire to the Lalor Park home while his partner and her seven children were inside about 1am on Sunday.
Police were due to provide an update on Thursday at 1pm (watch live below).
Two boys, aged three and six, and a baby girl were killed.
The man allegedly attacked his partner first, before the entire home was set on fire. Witnesses told police their father blocked the children inside the home as it burnt, stopping their attempts to run for safety.
“Dad tried to kill us,” one of the surviving children allegedly told the neighbours.
The man will face three murder charges.
The man was charged with three counts of murder, five counts of attempted murder and one charge of destroying property with the intent to endanger life.
His matter was briefly heard at Parramatta Local Court on Thursday morning, while the man remained in an induced coma under police guard at Westmead Hospital.
He was not required to appear via audiovisual link and his matter will next be heard at Penrith Local Court on September 6.
As well as his murder charges, the court heard an application by police for an apprehended violence order to protect the man’s family from him.
Under the AVO conditions, he must not go within 500 metres of his alleged victims, contact them except through a lawyer, approach any school or childcare centre they attend and/or possess any firearms.
The mother has since been discharged from hospital and four children – three boys aged four, seven and 11, and a nine-year-old girl – remain in hospital in stable conditions.
Floral tributes and toys have amassed outside the family’s Freeman Street home as police continued to comb the charred remains of the house for evidence this week.
The children’s mother returned to the home after she was discharged from hospital earlier this week. She was accompanied by police as she read some of the messages left by mourners.
Neighbour Jarrod Hawkins, who was labelled a hero after he ran into the burning home to help save the children, has set up a fundraiser for the family and called on the community to help buy toys, clothes and help with housing for the family.
So far he has raised $27,000 for the family.
He described to the Herald the moment he ran into the blaze.
“The front door was locked, but I kept shoulder-barging it until I smashed it in,” he said.
“There was too much smoke, I couldn’t see a thing, but I knew the daughter was inside.”
If you or someone you know is affected by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732. Crisis support is available from Lifeline on 13 11 14.
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