Police believe Sydney Mclaughlin father set fire to his Sydney home with his family inside – dragging his own children back into the inferno while fighting off neighbours and rescuers – in a horrific “domestic homicide” that claimed three young lives.
One of the surviving children allegedly told rescuers, “Dad tried to kill us” and described fighting to break free of their father’s grip to save their them from the flames.
Emergency services rushed to Freeman Street in Lalor Park following reports of a house on fire at 1am .
The fire claimed the lives of a baby girl and two boys aged three and six.
A nine-year-old girl and three boys, aged four, seven and 11, were taken to Westmead Hospital in a stable condition.
Police have allegedly been told the father attacked his de facto partner before setting the house ablaze and trapping the family inside.
One of the older children, still in primary school, allegedly fought against the man to try to save their siblings but was attacked and pinned down, witnesses have told police.
“Dad tried to kill us,” the child later told rescuers, according to sources.
A heroic neighbour rushed in to attempt to save the children before police and firefighters arrived.
But the 28-year-old father allegedly fought them off as well while screaming “leave me here to die”, witnesses said.
“I can confirm during police attempts to get into the property, those efforts were frustrated by a male inside,” acting Superintendent Jason Pietruszka said.
Instead, the man allegedly attempted to drag the children back into the burning home, police and sources close to the family allege.
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