Schoolboys, 6 and 7, found dead inside home with woman arrested in 'truly horrible event'
A woman has been arrested after the bodies of two children were discovered during a welfare check.
Emergency services responded to the home on Emu Lane in Coonabarabran, New South Wales just after 2pm on Monday, where they found the boys, aged six and seven, dead inside the property.
The 66-year-old woman, who is believed to be the children's grandmother, was taken into custody at the scene and transported to hospital for further assessment. She remains under police guard.
Authorities confirmed that the woman and children were known to each other.
Police stated that there is no ongoing threat to the public and that they were not seeking any other individuals in connection with the incident.
Where Kate and Gerry McCann are now - 18 years after Madeleine's disappearance
NSW Premier Chris Minns expressed his condolences, saying, "What has occurred is terrible, and as a state we share in the Coonabarabran community's grief over the loss of two young boys who had their whole lives ahead of them.
"I can't begin to imagine the heartbreak their family, friends, and teachers are going through," he added, also thanking local police for their professionalism and courage in responding to the tragic scene.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb confirmed that additional police resources have been deployed to the town as the investigation continues. Inquiries are ongoing.
It comes as an American couple is set to spend the rest of their lives behind bars after their two-year-old toddler died as a result of being left in a scorching hot car along with three of his siblings. A fifth child of theirs, aged 3, also died of malnutrition after being rushed to hospital.
Deja and Justin Rollins were each handed a 70-year prison sentence to conclude what prosecutors called one of the most 'disturbing' cases they've ever seen. The couple admitted to trapping their four children - aged 2, 4, 7, and 10 - inside a blistering car while they rushed their fifth child, aged 3, to a Little Rock Children's Hospital in Arkansas on July 7, 2024, the Pulsaki County Attorney's Office said.
Prosecutors said the couple's three-year-old died of severe malnutrition, sparking a police investigation into the tot's siblings.
'This case is one of the most disturbing and heartbreaking our office has ever encountered', prosecuting attorney Will Jones said in a statement.
According to officials, mum Deja, 28, and dad Justin, 30, locked their four kids inside the boiling hot vehicle, which they parked at Arkansas Children's Hospital as they rushed their 3-year-old in for 'urgent medical treatment'.
Officers raced to the hospital after being alerted to a report of child abuse and neglect before finding the car outside the facility.
Deja and Justin, meanwhile, failed to tell cops where the vehicle was located, the Jacksonville Police Department said.
The children were taken into the hospital where they were treated for heat exhaustion, but tragically, the youngest - two-year-old Jay'Dien Rollins - died from fatal heat exhaustion and severe malnutrition the following day.
The married couple each pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder and first-degree domestic battery.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
ICE enforcement in LA triggers alarm among school communities
"We are a melting pot of beautiful, incredible people," Enriquez said to the crowd before wiping a tear from his eye. "This incredible community, all of these students, all of these parents, guardians, friends and family, it is because of you that these young people are here ready to go on to that next step - to that high school life, to represent each of us as an incredible member of society." Some families too afraid to attend the graduation out of fear of increased presence of immigration enforcement officials across the city didn't hear the principal's message. They and many other Angeleno immigrants who live in the sanctuary city are foregoing the chance to witness their young loved ones receive diplomas or advance to the next grade at upcoming school graduation ceremonies out of fear of getting deported. "I've spoken with parents who've told me that their daughter would be the first in their family to graduate high school and they're not going to be there to witness it, because they have a fear of the place of graduation being targeted," said Alberto Carvalho, superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, which covers the majority of the city and some surrounding areas of Los Angeles and serves more than a half of a million public school students, during a June 9 news conference. More than one-third of Angelenos are immigrants. ICE detained a Los Angeles fourth grader from Torrance Elementary School and his father in Texas on May 29. They are expected to be deported to Honduras. The young child's deportation has left a wound. "When something like this happens, it shakes all of us in the community," Torrance Elementary PTA volunteer Ria Villanueva told The Los Angeles Times. Homeland security agents attemped to enter two Los Angeles schools in early April, but they were denied entry. Arrests of young people by Immigration and Customs Enforcement are happening nationwide in other targeted American communities, such as Milford, Massachusetts, where an 11th grader's arrest and detention by ICE has heightened anxiety among the area's immigrants, and in New York City, where educations officials say ICE have recently arrested and detained two students. "President Trump is keeping his promise to deport illegal aliens and the law enforcement officers conducting operations do so efficiently and professionally," said Abigail Jackson, a White House spokesperson, in response to a question from USA TODAY about the Trump administration's enforcement on immigration at and around schools. "Individuals, like the violent rioters in LA, who try to obstruct or deter operations put law enforcement officers and law abiding citizens at risk." The Trump administration's increased immigration enforcement and related protests around LA Unified schools over the last several weeks have put parents, students and school officials on especially high alert. After law enforcement officers deployed flash-bang grenades against protesters near a Los Angeles Unified elementary school campus, the school community went into lockdown on June 6. The tensions have left the Los Angeles Unified School District, the second-largest district in the nation, at the center of the national battle on immigration deportations and family separations. Ahead of future graduation ceremonies in the district, Carvalho said he said he has directed Los Angeles Unified school police to stand at the front lines and "intervene and interfere with any federal agency who may want to take action during these joyous times that we call graduation." What's happening around Los Angeles Unified schools? The Los Angeles families' anxieties come after a series of Trump administration-led anti-immigrant actions in the city, making it a national battleground for President Donald Trump's long-promised crackdown on illegal immigration. President Donald Trump and his administration have deployed thousands of National Guard members to the nation's second-largest city since June 8. The National Guard entered Los Angeles after citizens who were angry about immigration raids in the city, including one at a Home Depot, launched largely peaceful demonstrations against the administration's enforcement of illegal immigration. How did the LA protests begin? A look at the immigration raids that sparked outrage Chaos and violence have since erupted across Los Angeles, resulting in the detainment of some immigrants, destruction of city property and fear and hiding among immigrant families and children of immigrants who attend school across the region. 'President Trump is keeping his promise' California Gov. Gavin Newsom has vehemently objected against the immigration raids and deployment of federal guards, even filing a lawsuit against Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth alleging they deployed "members of the California National Guard, without lawful authority, and in violation of the Constitution." "Instead of focusing on undocumented immigrants with serious criminal records and people with final deportation orders - a strategy both parties have long supported - this administration is pushing mass deportations - indiscriminately targeting hardworking, immigrant families regardless of their roots or risk, " Newsom, a Democrat, said in a video posted on Instagram. There's no sign that the immigration raids will end. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on X on June 9 that they will deploy about 700 active duty U.S. Marines to Los Angeles "to restore order." Trump has also threatened to arrest Newsom for challenging the federal government. 700 Marines Heading to LA; Newsom calls move 'deranged fantasy' of Trump Federal immigration activity near school campuses threatens a 'fundamental right' A third-grade elementary school teacher in the district, who asked to remain anonymous because she is worried that her school and her students will be targeted by immigration enforcement officials if she is identified, said she has felt deep fear and constant anxiety in her students about them or their families being detained by ICE officials. She said many kids in her classroom whose parents are undocumented immigrants, some of whom are newcomers from Guatemala, are worried about being deported or separated from their families. Their fears have intensified since immigration raids have occurred close to the school. Attendance was unusually low and many school bus stops were eerily quiet during the last two days of school in her classroom on June 9 and 10, she said. "I try to pretend everything's normal when everything's falling apart outside of the school," she said. Her six-year-old son, who attends the same school where she teaches, found about about the immigration raids through friends and told her, "Mom, I'm glad you have papers so they can't take you." Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Carvlaho said in a statement on June 6 that he is "dismayed" by the recent immigration enforcement activity occurring near district schools. "These actions are causing unnecessary fear, confusion, and trauma for our students and families - many of whom are simply trying to get to and from school and work, and to live with dignity," Carvalho said. The presence of federal immigration activity near school campuses threatens prevents schools from being a "safe haven" where students "can learn, grow, and thrive without fear of being separated from their loved ones," he said. California State Superintendent of Education Tony Thurmond called Trump's military deployment and mass immigration raids "unnecessary," "a betrayal of our American values" and "an assault on all Californians" in a statement on June 9. Thurmond said about half of California kids have at least one immigrant parent. "Innocent children should never be in handcuffs, and families should never be torn apart by our government. Our children deserve to be protected and cared for, not terrified at school or ripped from their families," Thurmond said. "Let's be clear: When the President targets our immigrant families, he harms California's children." California State Superintendent: 'Deeply dangerous for our children' California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Thurmond have called on Trump to end the mass immigration raids and pull back National Guard troops from Los Angeles for the safety of Los Angeles families. "My message to President Trump is very clear: keep your hands off California's kids," Thurmond said on June 9. "The President's unchecked, unnecessary deployment of our nation's military to the city of Los Angeles is deeply dangerous for our children, for our families, and for our country." The officials' sentiments haven't calmed the widespread fear among many of the city's vast immigrant communities. Britt Vaughan, a spokesperson for Los Angeles Unified school district, said that parents and community members have been anxiously calleing into schools to report federal immigration activity in their communities. Enriquez, from Palms Middle School, told students and their families at the commencement ceremony to use the momentum of graduation as an opportunity to stand up to what he called "injustice" against their community. "Be empowered. Injustices exist in the world," he said. "Speak up. Stand up against any injustice anywhere." Contact Kayla Jimenez at kjimenez@ Follow her on X at @kaylajjimenez.
Channel 4
16 hours ago
- Channel 4
LA protests: police make mass arrests as city imposes curfew
A curfew has been declared in downtown Los Angeles, as immigration protests continue for a fifth day. LA police said they arrested almost 200 people on Tuesday as they defied the curfew, despite the presence of federalised National Guard and the possibility of 700 US Marines joining them on the streets. Meanwhile protests have spread to other American cities, with President Donald Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom escalating their feud over the response to the demonstrations.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Aussie influencer slammed as tone deaf for complaining about everything in LA while riots break out in the city: 'You not been on the news?'
Controversial influencer Kat Clark has been slammed for complaining about living in Los Angeles while anti-ICE protests rage through the city. As locals deal with a fourth day of riots in California, Marines and the National Guard have hit the streets to 'address the lawlessness' of protesters. However, Clark appeared oblivious to the chaos on Sunday as she uploaded a vlog about her daily inconveniences in LA. 'Australians and Americans may speak the same language, but today proved we live completely different lives. Firstly, why is there no good coffee in LA?' she began. 'They also take security very seriously,' she added as she showed footage of store fronts locked up with security gates. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Clark, who relocated to LA from the Gold Coast with her husband Jonathan and their daughter Deja, 14, went on to complain about people not using towels at the gym. 'These are just the small things I've noticed since moving here. Wait until you see what else I learned,' she continued. 'They love their ranch. They've got litres of it. They even have tuna flavoured bacon ranch. That sounds gross,' Clark added as she visited a Ralphs grocery store. 'I'm not going to lie, they have a lot of questionable things here, but they also have a lot of things that just make sense.' Followers flocked to the comments of the video to slam Clark for appearing to ignore the riots and military presence throughout LA. 'U not been on the news?' one person wrote. 'Kat completely oblivious to what's happen in LA right now,' another added. A third wrote: 'Are u going to talk about anything that's happening in LA atm?' 'Y'all just pretending LA isn't a disaster rn,' said yet another. Clark responded to the comments, explaining she was was aware of what has been happening in the city. 'I hear you and I've been following everything closely,' she said. 'As someone on a visa, I have to be mindful about what I say, but please know I'm listening, learning and supporting where I can.' Fans then jumped in to offer their support to Clark. 'What is she supposed to do about it?' one person wrote. Another user said: 'She just moved there let her enjoy for like a second.' 'It's her life why does she have to do everything to satisfy u guys?' commented someone else. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Clark for comment. 700 Marines and 2,100 National Guard members have hit the LA streets to 'address the lawlessness' in California, according to President Donald Trump. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the military will stay in the city for 60 days to combat violent 'rioters, looters and thugs' during the immigration riots. The chaos began on Friday when anti-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement protesters seized on a handful of police raids across LA, taking to the streets to burn cars and march against what they say are unfair deportations. Local business owners are outraged as destructive looters continue to target downtown stores as the protests continue on. Trump on Tuesday flirted with invoking the Insurrection Act as he tore into 'bad people' and 'animals' he said brought the city to the verge of burning down. The president defended his decision to send 700 Marines as well as the California National Guard to LA, and brushed off California Gov. Gavin Newsom's claim the deployment inflamed the situation. And he would not rule out use of an authority to deploy military forces under his control to put down disturbances if he sees fit. 'If there's an insurrection, I would certainly invoke it. We'll see. But I can tell you, last night was terrible. The night before that was terrible,' Trump said. 'If we didn't send in the national guard quickly, right now, Los Angeles would be burning to the ground,' Trump told reporters in an impromptu Oval Office meeting with members of his team.
