Australian Father Kills Children in Bali Villa Before Taking Own Life

A father from Western Australia has killed his two young children before taking his own life in a Bali villa, authorities said. Maritime worker Damien John Shaw, 56, from Fremantle, allegedly smothered his son, Archie, 6, and daughter, Laura, 4, at their rented villa near Kuta on Sunday.

Shaw's wife, Tessa Yanuar, had traveled to Jakarta to visit her mother, Indria, three days prior to the incident. Ms. Yanuar's mother has been supporting her daughter following the tragedy. Police allowed Ms. Yanuar to return to the Legian rental, where the family had resided since 2022, to identify the bodies.

Indria, the children's grandmother, shared a video tribute filmed inside the villa, accompanied by photos of the children and keepsakes. "Grandma's love and affection for you both will never disappear, my angels in heaven. Grandma will always miss you both," she wrote on social media. The video included a song about loss and concluded with a photo of the children's graves. A note from Archie's friend, David, was also among the tributes, reading, "I wish you and Laura rest in peace."

Police launched a murder investigation on Sunday. Ms. Yanuar and her mother returned to Bali to formally identify the bodies and had been staying at a hotel near the villa, which was sealed off as a crime scene. Despite the ongoing investigation, Ms. Yanuar objected to autopsies and proceeded with the children's funerals on Monday, according to police.

Ms. Yanuar reportedly raised the alarm while in Jakarta after remotely checking the villa's CCTV. She heard her daughter crying and saying, "Stop, Daddy." She alerted local authorities and the villa owner, who forced entry into the residence and discovered the bodies.

CCTV footage examined by police showed Laura attempting to flee her father within the villa, repeatedly saying, "I love you, Daddy." Police believe she may have been frightened after witnessing her older brother being harmed. Investigators also stated that Shaw repositioned the cameras to face downwards before taking his own life after the deaths of his children.

According to police, Shaw and Ms. Yanuar had argued in 2022 after Laura's birth, but Ms. Yanuar told police their relationship had been good shortly before the incident. Bali Police's Senior Commissioner Simatupang stated, "According to the wife's statement, they had not had any arguments recently and their relationship had been fine." However, he added that Shaw was "very emotional and had a high level of anxiety" and had experienced suicidal thoughts but had not sought professional evaluation or treatment.