Latest news with #Harristown
News.com.au
31-05-2025
- General
- News.com.au
‘How are you going, miss?': Chilling moment armed teens attempt to smash way into home in Toowoomba, Qld
Chilling footage has captured the moment a group of teenagers, armed with knives and shovels, attempted to smash their way into an elderly couple's home under the cover of darkness. The teenagers can seen wearing hoodies tightly-wound to conceal their faces as they gather outside the home in Toowoomba on Friday night. In a bizarre moment, one addresses the occupants on the video doorbell footage, saying: 'How're you going miss?' The resident responds with: 'I think you better go. I'll have to call the police'. Holding shovels, one of the teenagers tells the other to: 'Smash the window, smash the window with a shovel'. Although unsuccessful in their attempt, the teens take a picture of the house before leaving with one teenager remarking the couple had a 'Volkswagen'. It is alleged the teenagers had also approached another house up the straight in Harristown five minutes earlier – with footage allegedly capturing one teen stabbing the door with a knife. Michelle, who lives a suburb over, told 9News that the group were allegedly 'bashing and trying to get into the door'. 'They had a knife and yelling out they wanted the car keys,' she said. Michelle's partner went outside to make sure the teenagers had left. He did not realise they were allegedly armed until seeing the footage. 'Quite a decent-sized knife, yeah it's just terrible and there's a few around last night unfortunately,' she said. 'There's certainly no feeling of optimism that anything is going to get any better.' Michelle also told Sunrise she was initially scared and in disbelief, but says she is now angry. 'The neighbourhoods really quiet there's a few young families around, a few elderly people,' she said 'After it happened, on the (neighbour's) advice we went to the police, just in case they tried to attempt something at their houses as well.' While Michelle admits feel rattled by the events, she says she wants action taken. 'I know that they can't get in, they tried and they failed so (I'm) not as vulnerable as Friday night,' she said. '(I want) tougher penalties, knowing that they are going to get in trouble, that they may potentially spend a period of time in jail. 'I'd like to see a complete knife ban in public. That would be great. Just to try and take some of these weapons off the street. So a potential home invasion isn't going to be one that could lead to something a lot worse.' Queensland Police have said investigations remain ongoing and anyone with information is urged to contact police. 9News reported that the police have said that the group are also being investigated for a break and enter in Kingthorpe and were last seen driving a Kia Cerato. The car was stolen on Friday morning with the number plate KORD43, and has been spotted in Newtown and Kearneys Spring in a continued crime spree across the Downs. No arrests have been made.
ABC News
16-05-2025
- ABC News
Mother charged with murder of three children after deadly Toowoomba house fire has matter heard in court
A woman charged with the murder of her three children after a deadly house fire in Toowoomba has had her matter heard in court, with a full brief of evidence expected in the coming months. Ellouisa Patricia Brighton, 36, was charged with three counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder and one count of arson on Tuesday. She remains in hospital after the fire in Harristown last week, which claimed the life of her nine-year-old son. Her two daughters, aged four and seven, later died in hospital. A 34-year-old man, an 18-year-old man and an 11-year-old boy who escaped from the fire have since been released from hospital. Ms Brighton's matter was heard in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday. Magistrate Peter Saggers said a full brief of evidence would be due on July 21. The matter will next be heard in Toowoomba on August 19.
ABC News
13-05-2025
- ABC News
Mother charged with murder following Toowoomba housefire
Police have charged a 36-year-old woman with murder following a deadly house fire in Toowoomba that killed her three children. Ellouisa Patricia Brighton, 36, remains in hospital in a critical condition after the fire in Harristown last week.
The Guardian
13-05-2025
- The Guardian
Toowoomba woman charged with murder over house fire that killed three of her children
Police have charged a Toowoomba woman with murder, after the deaths of three of her children in a house fire last week. In a statement, the Queensland police service said the woman, 36, was facing three counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder, and a single count of arson in relation to the fatal fire at Merrit Street, Harristown, on 7 May. A boy, aged 9, was found dead inside the property by firefighters. Two girls, aged 7 and 4, were taken to the Queensland children's hospital but later died as a result of their injuries. Their mother has been in hospital under police guard since the incident. She remains in a critical condition. Police announced on Tuesday they had laid charges and that the woman would face court at a later date. The attempted murder charges relate to three people, aged 34, 18 and 11, who managed to escape the fire. Police said the 34-year-old has undergone surgery for serious injuries to his arm, while the others suffered minor injuries. 'Following an extensive investigation involving detectives from the Toowoomba Child Protection Investigation Unit with the assistance of the Homicide Investigation Unit, Child Trauma Unit and Specialist Forensic Units, police have charged a 36-year-old woman,' the Queensland police service said in a statement. 'Police are not looking for anyone else in connection to this incident. 'Investigations remain ongoing and there is no further information available at this time.'
News.com.au
13-05-2025
- News.com.au
Woman charged with murder after children killed in Harristown house fire
A woman has been charged with murder after a horror house fire that killed three children in regional Queensland. Fire tore through a home on Merritt St, Harristown at about 12.30am on May 7. A body - believed to be of a nine-year-old boy - was discovered inside. Two girls, aged 4 and 7, were among the six people who managed to escape from the blaze and were both rushed to hospital with critical injuries. Both girls died in hospital. A 34-year-old man, an 18-year-old man and an 11-year-old boy managed to escape the fire. The 34-year-old man underwent surgery for serious injuries to his arm, while the 18-year-old man and 11-year-old boy were treated for minor injuries. A 36-year-old woman, who was also critically injured in the fire, was transported to hospital under police guard. She has since been charged with three counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder and one count of arson. Her case is due to be mentioned in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
