Latest news with #KathleenHeggs
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Bombshell new details revealed after two young boys found dead in their grandmother's house - rocking a regional Aussie community to its core
Two young boys found dead on a country NSW property had allegedly been drugged before they were smothered, an autopsy has revealed. Max and Sam Johnson, aged six and seven, were discovered in their Coonabarabran home, in northwest NSW, on May 5. Their grandmother Kathleen Heggs, 66, was subsequently charged with their murder. Police have now revealed a post-mortem examination carried out on the two boys' bodies found traces of a prescription medication in their systems, according to the Daily Telegraph. Police will allege Ms Heggs gave her young grandsons the medications before suffocating them with a pillow. The brothers were asleep in separate bedrooms of Ms Heggs' rural property when the alleged murders took place. Max and Sam's biological parents Troy and Samantha Johnson are making final plans for their sons' funeral this week, which is to be held in Port Stephens. Ms Heggs was the sole carer for the two boys and they had moved from near Port Stephens to Coonabarabran about a year ago. Mr and Mrs Johnson had not seen the boys for five years prior to their deaths. The boys' father revealed he and his wife decided to let Ms Heggs take care of their sons as they had been struggling with mental health issues. 'This is not how we were meant to get them back,' Mr Johnson said. 'We are completely broken... but those boys deserve a good send off, and that's what we are going to give them.' Mr Johnson said he was grateful to Coonabarabran locals for sharing their happy memories of his sons. The boys will be buried in their karate uniforms, along with the yellow belts they were set to receive the week they were allegedly killed. Last month, police raced to the Coonabarabran property after Ms Heggs allegedly sent a text message to the boys' school to say her the two boys were dead and she intended to take her own life. After arriving at the farm, police forced their way into the home and found the boys' bodies in different rooms and the woman suffering self-inflicted injuries. Ms Heggs was treated in a mental health facility for several days following the boys' death before being charged with two counts of murder. Tragically, the devastated grandfather of the boys told Daily Mail Australia he only discovered that his grandsons were dead when he heard it on the news. 'I had to find out off the news about what happened to them,' he said. He also said he was upset pictures of the boys had been circulated through the media. 'The photos should never have been released - because they were minors - that was wrong and it has been very upsetting.' Ms Heggs has not entered pleas and she will front court on July 10. NSW Police have been contacted for comment.
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Daily Mail
How grandmother accused of murdering her two grandsons in their rural home plans to fight the charges
Mental health will be the central issue in the case of a woman accused of murdering her two young grandsons in their rural home. Kathleen Joyce Heggs, 66, has been charged with two counts of domestic violence murder over the deaths of Max and Sam Johnson, aged six and seven. The brothers were found dead in their home on the outskirts of Coonabarabran, in northwest NSW, on the afternoon of FMay 5. Heggs had harmed herself and was arrested and taken to a mental health unit at Orange hospital. Her case was briefly mentioned in Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday, and she was not required to appear from custody. 'This is going to be a question of my client's mental health at the time of the offences,' Heggs' solicitor Christopher Ford told the court. Mr Ford did not object to an application by NSW Police to conduct a forensic procedure on Heggs. Magistrate Brett Shields confirmed an order for the unspecified procedure to be carried out. 'I've just spoken to her and she's trying to contact you,' Mr Ford said. Mr Dickens repeatedly asked Mr Ford not to discuss Heggs' legal representation in an open forum. 'Please stop talking about this in an open court in the presence of the media,' Mr Dickens said. Mr Ford later asked that legal documents be sent to his office in the city. Before the matter was heard in front of the magistrate, Mr Ford had an exchange with a Legal Aid lawyer who had been initially instructed by Heggs. Mr Ford, via video-link from Sydney, announced he was appearing for Heggs. Senior Legal Aid solicitor Bill Dickens said he had spoken to Heggs earlier in the morning and received instructions from her. Mr Ford insisted he was representing her. Heggs was the sole carer for the two boys and the family had moved from the NSW Central Coast to Coonabarabran about a year ago. Two junior police officers broke into their house on a semi-rural property after a message sent to the communities and justice department triggered an emergency response. They found the boys' bodies in their bedrooms. After treatment in a mental health facility, Heggs was taken into custody. At her first court appearance, five days after her arrest, police documents alleged she may have killed the boys as early as 10.30am on May 5. Police have previously said there were no weapons involved in the alleged murders. The boys' deaths shook Coonabarabran, where they went to the local primary school and attended karate classes. Community members held a candlelight vigil in a park by the Castlereagh River, where they planted two trees in the boys' honour and displayed the yellow karate belts they were due to receive. Warrumbungle Shire Councillor Kodi Brady read a poem describing the boys as 'wild as March hares, full of spark and flame'. Heggs' case will return to court on July 10.
The Guardian
21-05-2025
- The Guardian
Mental health of NSW grandmother accused of murdering two grandsons will be central issue in case, court hears
Mental health will be the central issue in the case of a woman accused of murdering her two young grandsons in their rural home. Kathleen Joyce Heggs, 66, has been charged with two counts of domestic violence murder over the deaths of Max and Sam Johnson, aged seven and six. The brothers were found dead in their home on the outskirts of Coonabarabran, in northwest New South Wales, on the afternoon of 5 May. Heggs, their maternal grandmother, had harmed herself and was arrested and taken to a mental health unit at Orange hospital. Her case was briefly mentioned in Dubbo local court on Wednesday, and she was not required to appear from custody. 'This is going to be a question of my client's mental health at the time of the offences,' Heggs' solicitor Christopher Ford told the court. Ford did not object to an application by NSW Police to conduct a forensic procedure on Heggs. Magistrate Brett Shields confirmed an order for the unspecified procedure to be carried out. Before the matter was heard in front of the magistrate, Ford had an exchange with a Legal Aid lawyer who had been initially instructed by Heggs. Ford, via video-link from Sydney, announced he was appearing for Heggs. Senior Legal Aid solicitor Bill Dickens said he had spoken to Heggs earlier in the morning and received instructions from her. Ford insisted he was representing her. 'I've just spoken to her and she's trying to contact you,' Ford said. Dickens repeatedly asked Ford not to discuss Heggs' legal representation in an open forum. 'Please stop talking about this in an open court in the presence of the media,' Dickens said. Ford later asked that legal documents be sent to his office in the city. Heggs was the sole carer for her grandsons and the family had moved from the NSW Central Coast to Coonabarabran about a year ago. Two junior police officers broke into their house on a semi-rural property after a message sent to the communities and justice department triggered an emergency response. They found the boys' bodies in their bedrooms. After treatment in a mental health facility, Heggs has been taken into custody, a NSW Corrective Services spokeswoman confirmed. At Heggs' first court appearance, five days after her arrest, police documents alleged she may have killed the boys as early as 10.30am on 5 May. Police have previously said there were no weapons involved in the alleged murders. The boys' deaths shook Coonabarabran, where they went to the local primary school and attended karate classes. Community members held a candlelight vigil in a park by the Castlereagh River, where they planted two trees in the boys' honour and displayed the yellow karate belts they were due to receive. Warrumbungle Shire Councillor Kodi Brady read a poem describing the boys as 'wild as March hares, full of spark and flame'. Heggs' case will return to court on 10 July.
Daily Mail
08-05-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Grief-stricken granddad reveals heartbreaking way he found out his two young grandsons were dead - as cops wait to charge grandmother over their tragic deaths in rural home
A devastated grandfather has told Daily Mail Australia how he only discovered that his young grandsons were dead and their grandmother was set to be charged with the murder when he heard it on the news. Kathleen Heggs, 66, is currently under guard in a mental health facility as detectives continue to piece together the circumstances that led to her allegedly killing her grandsons, Max, 7, and Sam, 6, this week. Officers raced to her Coonabarabran property, about six hours north-west of Sydney in the NSW central west, at about 2pm on Monday. It came after Heggs allegedly sent a text message to authorities to say her grandsons were dead and she planned to take her own life. After arriving at the farm, police forced their way into Heggs' home and found the boys' bodies in different rooms and their maternal grandmother suffering self-inflicted injuries. Detectives allege the boys had been suffocated and that no weapons had been involved but are still waiting for their cause of death to be confirmed by a post-mortem examination on Thursday. The grandmother was taken to a mental health facility two hours away, in Orange, 'where she will be detained for the near future until she improves'. Heggs is expected to be charged with murdering both her young grandchildren on release. She had no criminal or documented mental health history, police have said. The boys grandfather Ronald Heggs, 65, told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday that he had been devastated to learn about his grandson's death via the media this week. He said the family were particularly distressed to see photos of the boys had been made public. 'I had to find out off the news about what happened to them,' Mr Heggs told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday. 'The photos should never have been released - because they were minors - that was wrong and it has been very upsetting.' He said the family were still coming to terms with the tragedy and did not wish to comment any further at this point. Out of respect for Mr Heggs and his family, Daily Mail Australia has refrained from publishing photographs of the children with this article. The boys had only lived with their grandmother in the rural town of Coonabarabran for about a year after relocating from the state's Central Coast at the start of 2024. The Sydney Morning Herald reported the move had been prompted after Heggs 'witnessed an incident involving her family too graphic to publish details of, and became known to police as a victim of crime'. She had been caring for the young brothers for a number of years. Residents in the small country town of Coonabarabran, which is home to just 2,400 people, have been shattered by the horrific incident. Family friend Kodi Brady, who has a son the same age, said he used to see Max and Sam at the school gate as well as at soccer games and karate lessons. He said there had been no obvious warning signs the family had been struggling, describing Heggs as a 'beautiful lady'. 'It's absolutely tragic now, but (their) grandma, she was there for them all day every day,' Mr Brady told Daily Mail Australia. 'It's mind-blowing, but she's the one who took care of them. It's (alleged) breaking point, I guess.' He described Sam and Max as 'cute little kids, full of energy'. Though the boys and Heggs were 'fairly new' to the area, having moved from the Central Coast about 11 months ago, Mr Brady said locals were struggling to come to terms with the news. 'This is a tragedy, and it's affecting so many. Petty crime happens and that, but it's a very safe community, we don't have problems like the cities,' he said. Peter Wilkie, the boys' karate instructor since December, heard the news from a parent after a Monday afternoon karate class, having noticed the boys were absent. 'It was a hard hit, it's hard to take to be honest. They run around, they're on the go all the time, but they were working really well,' Mr Wilkie said. 'She helped in class, she would hold the pads, and she bought everything the boys needed - (karate) uniforms, clothes and gear and all that.' On Tuesday afternoon detectives in forensics gear could be seen examining a vehicle at the house. Officers spent several hours searching a Mazda BT50 that was parked in the garage. The doors of the vehicle were open and one of the detectives could be seen shining a torch into the front dashboard of the car, while the bonnet was covered in fingerprint dust. Outside the house, laundry was still hanging from a washing line near a basketball hoop. On Tuesday evening residents began leaving flower tributes to the boys at the entrance to Gumnut Road, the dirt road on the edge of town that leads to Emu Lane, where Heggs and the boys lived. The local community has also organised a candlelight vigil for the young brothers in the town's Neilson Park by the Castlereagh River on Thursday evening. NSW Police Assistant Commission Andrew Holland encouraged the community to band together in the wake of the shocking incident. 'Death in a small community has an impact on the whole community,' he said this week. 'The deaths of two young, innocent boys has a major impact.' The house remained cordoned off and under police guard on Wednesday morning as detectives continued to investigate the crime scene.
Daily Mail
07-05-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Devastated locals reveal what they fear triggered a grandmother to allegedly murder her two young grandsons, aged 6 and 7, in Coonabarabran house of horror - as cops wait to charge her
Friends of a 'nice' and 'beautiful' grandmother have described their shock at the news she allegedly reached 'breaking point' and killed her two young grandsons. There were no signs anything was amiss with Kathleen Heggs, 66, or the boys, six-year-old Sam and seven-year-old Max, according to locals who knew the family. Police rushed to Heggs property in Coonabarabran, in central-west NSW, at 2pm on Monday after a desperate call from the maternal grandmother. Heggs had phoned the Department of Communities and Justice at 1.30pm to say her grandsons were dead and she needed help. Officers forced their way into the property and allegedly found the bodies of the boys in different rooms of the house, and Heggs attempting to harm herself. Police believe the boys were suffocated and there were no weapons involved. On Wednesday morning Heggs remained in a mental health facility in Orange, with police set to charge her over the alleged double murder when she is released. Meanwhile, the small country town of Coonabarabran, with a population of just 2,400 people, has been rocked by the incident. Family friend Kodi Brady, who has a boy the same age and used to see Max and Sam at the school gate, as well as at soccer games and karate lessons, described the incident as 'mind-blowing'. 'It's absolutely tragic now, but grandma, she was there for them all day every day,' Mr Brady told Daily Mail Australia. He described Heggs as a 'beautiful lady', and added: 'It's mind-blowing, but she's the one who took care of them. It's (alleged) breaking point, I guess.' He said Sam and Max were 'cute little kids, full of energy'. Though the boys and Heggs were 'fairly new' to the area, having moved to Coonabarabran from the Central Coast about 11 months ago, Mr Brady said residents were struggling to come to terms with the news. 'This is a tragedy, and it's affecting so many. Petty crime happens and that, but it's a very safe community, we don't have problems like the cities.' Peter Wilkie, the boys' karate instructor since December, said he heard the news from a parent after finishing a Monday afternoon karate class, where he had noticed the boys were absent. 'It was a hard hit, it's hard to take to be honest. They run around, they're on the go all the time, but they were working really well' Mr Wilkie said. 'I thought (Heggs) was quite a nice lady, I wouldn't have thought she would have done that. 'She helped in class, she would hold the pads, and she bought everything the boys needed - (karate) uniforms, clothes and gear and all that. 'It's just a sheer bloody waste.' On Tuesday afternoon detectives in forensics gear could be seen examining a vehicle at the house. Officers spent several hours searching a Mazda BT50 that was parked in the garage. The doors of the vehicle were open and one of the detectives could be seen shining a torch into the front dashboard of the car, while the bonnet was covered in fingerprint dust. Outside the house, laundry was still hanging from a washing line near a basketball hoop. On Tuesday evening residents began leaving flower tributes to the boys at the entrance to Gumnut Road, the dirt road on the edge of town that leads to Emu Lane, where Heggs and the boys lived. The house remained cordoned off and under police guard on Wednesday morning.
