Media Statement on the Deaths in Campbelltown

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

The Campbelltown Victims – There is Never an Excuse for Murder 

19 May 2026 

Trigger Warning: Murder of two children with disability and their mother

The South West Autism Network (SWAN) is deeply saddened and concerned by the tragic deaths of a mother and her two children with disability in Campbelltown. 

The individual responsible for these crimes must be held fully accountable.

We must also recognise the wider systemic issues and cultural attitudes that allow such violence to occur. The responsibility for preventing these tragedies extends beyond a single person. 

When people with disability are killed by a family member or carer, media coverage frequently focuses on the difficulties of providing care.  Some news reports have described the alleged perpetrator as ‘distraught’, framing the violence as a tragic outcome of stress.  This narrative needs to change. 

There is never a justification for taking the lives of disabled children.  When public discussions focus on sympathising with the perpetrator, it unintentionally suggests that disabled lives are valued less.  This type of reporting is harmful and puts other people with disability at risk in our community. 

We must also look at the shortcomings in our support systems.  Too often, Governments and service networks struggle to provide people with disability and our families with the real, practical help they need to live safely.  Families routinely face significant barriers when trying to access basic care. 

We know that families are facing incredibly difficult times right now.  The recent Federal Budget confirmed $37.8 billion in cuts to the NDIS, which will see around 300,000 people removed or redirected away from the NDIS between now and 2030, while average plan budgets will be significantly cut.  Support to access work, family and the community will be halved, an immensely cruel measure for those already isolated by circumstance or society.  

We must be absolutely clear: a lack of services or a broken support system can never be used to explain or excuse the murder of women and children with disability. 

The two boys who died were just 12 and 4 years old.  They were children with a full life ahead of them, and their mother had the right to live.  Their lives held deep value, entirely separate from their abilities or the level of care they required. 

SWAN has three simple requests right now. 

• To the media:  Please avoid framing that blames the victims or portrays disabled people as burdens.  We ask that you report on these tragedies exactly as you would if the victims were not disabled.
• To the justice system:  Ensure that the perpetrator faces the exact same legal outcomes as anyone who harms non-disabled children.
• To the Government:  Commit to ensuring that the NDIS is fully funded, that reasonable and necessary support is available to all Australians who need it.  All sides of Government must commit to making sure our most marginalised citizens are not left isolated, vulnerable, and at risk in the wake of rushed cuts and changes.  

People with disability are human beings who enrich our communities, and we have a fundamental right to be safe in our own homes. 

We mourn the heartbreaking loss of these three lives and ask for equal justice on their behalf. 

Media Contact:  

Nick Avery 0476 315 694
South West Autism Network (SWAN)