Australian Expat Kills Children, Then Himself in Bali After Wife's Haunting Call
Wife heard daughter scream 'stop daddy' before discovering the tragedy.
An Australian expat in Bali, Damien John Shaw, 56, is believed to have killed his 6-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter before taking his own life in their Kuta bungalow on September 13.
Shaw's wife, who was in Jakarta, contacted a neighbor after hearing her daughter cry out "stop daddy" during a phone call with her husband, according to The West Australian.
Residents discovered Shaw hanging from a rope with his children's bodies found nearby. CCTV footage reportedly showed the son screaming inside the bungalow, followed by the daughter running outside before Shaw pulled her back inside.
Denpasar city police official I Gede Adi Saputra Jaya stated that the victim's wife was interviewed but remained in deep shock. Police also learned that the couple's marriage had been strained, and Shaw's wife had been staying with her parents for two weeks prior to the incident.
Neighbors in Shaw's hometown of Perth described the family as private but peaceful. Sources close to the family indicated Shaw had experienced significant personal loss, including the death of his father at 15, a brother, and his mother recently succumbing to illness.
It was also reported that Shaw had attempted suicide approximately one month before the tragedy. His wife had intervened, but the family reportedly did not seek professional psychiatric help.