Anthony Dowsley, Amelia Harris
A FIERCE argument between a mother and her daughter is being investigated as the cause of a murder-suicide that left a family of four dead.
Investigators retrieved a brick and a piece of metal from the Heidelberg Heights house that was found alight with a woman, her daughters and son, inside.
The children are believed to be aged between 9-17.
A teenager, thought to be the boyfriend of the eldest girl, arrived at the house to find his girlfriend and the rest of her family dead and the house engulfed in flames on Sunday afternoon.
Yesterday, an exhibit bag containing a brick was taken from one of the bedrooms, which forensic analysts will test.
Police rushed to the Southern Rd property after residents at the unit behind heard piercing screams and called 000. Moments later the young couple saw the house in flames.
Although police are aware of the identity of the family, no next of kin has been found. It is believed the father of at least one of the children is interstate.
A neighbour, Con, said he saw a man screaming “help, help” outside the property as the flames took hold on Sunday afternoon.
“I don’t know if he’s part of the family or not but (he was) on his knees on the nature strip there crying out for help,” he said.
Police do not have a suspect at large and the homicide squad is no longer investigating the case, which has been left to the arson and explosives squad.
Det-Sgt Rod Stormonth confirmed police were investigating a dispute at the property before the tragedy.
“There was some sort of domestic prior to the fire. The circumstances surrounding that domestic situation have yet to be established,” he said.
The force has also ruled out speculation police attended the property before the fire emergency call.
Det-Sgt Stormonth said it appeared the blaze began in the kitchen in the back of the house.
“It is extensive damage,” he said.
“It is probably not as bad as it could have been but there is enough damage in there for us to spend a few days here trying to establish the cause and origin of that fire.”
Although autopsies were completed on all of the bodies last night, a cause of death is yet to be confirmed as are the victims’ genders and ages.
The Department of Human Services would not confirm or deny whether it had any dealings with the family, referring the matter to police.
A witness told the Herald Sun she had seen a young boy’s body with a slash across his face but her story was later discredited by police.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Source: www. heraldsun.com.au
