Man charged with murder after Cranbourne North house fire

POLICE feared for the lives of three primary-school children after their mother was stabbed before her Cranbourne North home was set on fire.

POLICE feared for the lives of three primary-school children after their mother was stabbed before her Cranbourne North home was set on fire.

Amanda Harris was pulled from her burning house by a neighbour on Saturday morning before it was realised she had stab wounds.

Police launched a major operation to find her children, who were rescued from a Berwick home several hours later.

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Police put up a tarp to establish the crime scene. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

A 38-year-old man, who was found with the children and was known to Ms Harris, was yesterday charged with her murder.

He has been remanded to appear in court at a later date.

Friends and family left flowers and prayed yesterday at the Maria Court home.

Victoria Police confirmed that a neighbour saw smoke coming from the house about 10.45am on Saturday.

The neighbour went inside and dragged Ms Harris out. She had stab wounds as well as burns and died before paramedics arrived.

The cause of death was yet to be determined last night.

Neighbours told the Herald Sun that the woman and her three children lived in the house.

They said they were still in shock.

“I can’t believe this happened. Nobody deserves to die like that,” Tutai Tangimama said.

Forensic investigators at the scene. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

Ms Tangimama said she went to help after she saw smoke coming from the house.

“I walked through their garage and saw her there on the back pergola with blood all over her,” she said.

“Another neighbour had already come over to help and I had no idea if she was still alive or not.”

Neighbours said the family kept to themselves and didn’t have a close relationship with many in the street.

“They’re lovely people but very private,” one said.

Others said the young family rarely had visitors and didn’t interact with many other people in the street.

Detectives returned to the home yesterday with relatives. They were seen taking clothes and other possessions in baskets.

Neighbour Anka said the “beautiful family” would be missed. “They’re such nice people. I’m shocked this could happen,” she said.

In an unrelated incident, also on Saturday, a man, 45, has been charged with the murder of a woman in Melbourne’s southeast.

He was arrested at the scene in Hampton Park and appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court yesterday.