Mum of woman murdered and dumped in Sydney bushland shares harrowing statement

A heartbreaking victim impact statement has been read in court detailing a mum’s anguish after her daughter was murdered by her partner.

The mother of a “strong and determined” woman who was murdered by her partner in Sydney’s northwest says she asks herself every day if her “senseless” death could have been prevented.

Vincent Carlino, 39, appeared at the King St Supreme Court in Sydney on Thursday, supported by family, when sentencing submissions and a victim impact statement were read.

Carlino pleaded guilty last year to the murder of his girlfriend Shereen Kumar.

He was arrested in July 2022 at his Dural home in Sydney’s northwest just hours after police discovered Ms Kumar’s body wrapped in plastic in bushland off Laurie Rd.

Vincent Carlino (right) killed Shereen Kumar (left) and dumped her body in bushland.

Carlino reported his partner missing to police, claiming he was “extremely worried” about her wellbeing when she left home for a walk in her pyjamas and did not return.

Officers spent days searching the surrounding area for any trace of Ms Kumar before they ultimately made the gruesome discovery on September 10, 2022.

Carlino and Ms Kumar had a tumultuous relationship, and on the day she died, the pair argued and Carlino called her 123 times in 42 minutes, according to the agreed facts.

In the Supreme Court on Thursday, Ms Kumar’s mother Roshni read a harrowing victim impact statement, telling the court her daughter’s death had “left a void” in their hearts.

“She was everything to our family, she was our world,” she said of the mother of two.

“Her sudden death shattered my husband and our life, leaving a void … my heart is broken and aches every day.

“We are no longer the same people we once were.

“The pain will stay with us for the rest of our lives.”

Her mother said Ms Kumar’s life had been “stolen” due to an act of “cruel and senseless violence”.

Ms Kumar’s death has shattered her family, a court has been told.

“Her children have been left without a mother and our family has been left broken,” she said.

“I keep asking myself if I had still been living with her and the family could I have prevented this?

“I don’t know if I will ever know the truth.”

Ms Kumar’s mother also shared details of the last day she spent with her daughter, just three days before her death.

“It was a normal, happy day,” she said.

“I never imagined it would be the last time that I’d see her.”

Ms Kumar and Carlino lived together in Dural after reconciling from a break-up, according to police. The pair had been seeing each other intermittently since April 2020.

The couple owned a popular dog walking business together. Ms Kumar also worked as a part-time model and had featured in Australian and international magazines.

The court was told how Ms Kumar, and her family moved to Australia more than 20 years ago and both Ms Kumar and her sister Nikki had gone on to study at university.

“She was incredibly strong, independent and determined to succeed,” her mother said.

“She had big dreams, like becoming a veterinarian, and we were so proud of her.”

Carlino is due to appear in court again on April 7 for a sentence hearing.