Bali police say Australian father killed two children before taking his own life
Bali Police say CCTV footage and witness accounts indicate Australian father Damien John Shaw killed his children Archie and Laura before taking his own life at a Legian bungalow.
PEOPLE & COMMUNITY
Indonesian police say CCTV footage and witness evidence indicate an Australian father killed his two young children at a bungalow in Bali before taking his own life, as their mother watched part of the incident unfold remotely from Jakarta.
Denpasar Police have concluded their investigation into the deaths of Damien John Shaw, 56, and his children, Archie, 6, and Laura, 4, at a bungalow in the Legian-Kuta area of Bali. Police say the evidence supports their finding that Shaw killed the children before dying by suicide. The investigation is being formally closed because the suspected perpetrator is dead.
The children’s mother, whose name has not been publicly released, was in Jakarta visiting relatives when she spoke with Shaw by phone at about 8am on Sunday. During the call, she heard voices and distress from inside the home before the connection was cut. When repeated calls went unanswered, she checked the bungalow’s live CCTV feed on her phone, police said.
Bali Police Public Relations Chief Senior Commissioner Ariasandy said the camera appeared to have been pointed downward or moved away from the room. The mother used the remote controls on her phone to adjust its view and saw part of the unfolding emergency in the living room, according to police.
Police said the footage showed Laura attempting to run away while being chased by her father. Audio captured her repeatedly saying, “I love you, Daddy,” as she appeared frightened. Investigators believe Archie had already been attacked when Laura fled, with Ariasandy saying the girl may have seen what happened to her older brother.
“The CCTV footage shows the daughter running away while being chased by her father,” police said. “She can be heard saying, ‘I love you Daddy, I love you Daddy’, and appears frightened.”
After seeing the footage and losing contact with Shaw, the mother contacted the bungalow owner and sought an urgent welfare check. The owner was away, police said, and another person connected to the property went to the home with a worker from a neighbouring bungalow under construction.
The front door was locked. The worker said he broke the keyhole with a tool and entered the bungalow. He told reporters that he saw the two children inside a bedroom, while a television was still playing cartoons. He said the girl was lying on top of her brother and that it was clear they had died. Police were called shortly afterwards, at about 10am.
Police said Shaw had deliberately shifted the CCTV camera’s view before the deaths. However, investigators said the system captured audio from the room and also recorded Shaw retrieving a blue rope from storage, which police say was later used in his death.
Authorities said the children suffered fatal injuries consistent with violence, while Shaw died from self-inflicted injuries. Police said there was no evidence of another person being involved.
The children’s mother returned to Bali after the deaths but did not comment publicly. Police said she was deeply traumatised and that her evidence described Shaw as having severe anxiety and becoming emotionally unstable. Ariasandy said Shaw’s anxiety was reportedly so acute that even helping the children with homework could cause him to panic.
Police also said the couple had experienced marital difficulties and had discussed divorce, although their relationship was believed to have improved recently. According to the mother’s account to investigators, Shaw had previously threatened self-harm during serious arguments but had not previously threatened the children.
Denpasar Police Chief Senior Commissioner Leonardo David Simatupang said police reviewed CCTV material and witness testimony before reaching their conclusion. “On this murder-suicide case, in regard to the murders perpetrated by [the suspect], we will follow up on evidence found for the case review in preparation for the SP3,” he told reporters, referring to Indonesia’s formal order ending an investigation.
Simatupang said the mother had travelled to Jakarta on September 10. Police and the Australian Consulate coordinated arrangements that allowed her to manage the funerals, and authorities said the family declined an autopsy.
A worker who had previously met Shaw said he had not noticed any obvious signs of aggression. He recalled Shaw politely asking construction workers to pause noisy drilling so the children could complete homework. “I cannot comprehend how he could be so cruel as to do that [to his children],” the worker said.
A neighbour said she had seen the children playing happily in the courtyard the evening before their deaths. “They were good, very kind, very cute,” she said, adding that Shaw had appeared friendly. “I believed he was a good dad.”
Online tributes have also emerged for the children. One message said, “May Allah cover their soul with mercy and give your heart strength during this painful time.” Another offered condolences to the family and friends and said the children should “eternally Rest in Peace”.
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