Mother, father and son die, police probe ‘love triangle’ theory

The family who died in Sydney after an alleged stabbing at a martial arts studio have been pictured for the first time.

An entire family is dead and another man is in a serious condition in hospital, with police investigating whether a possible love triangle was a factor in their deaths.

Min Cho, who was aged in her forties, and her seven-year-old son Benjamin were allegedly stabbed to death at Lion’s Taekwondo Martial Arts Academy, in north Parramatta.

Min Cho’s husband Steven Cho was found dead in the kitchen of his Baulkham Hills home, less than five kilometres away.

Taekwondo instructor Kwang Kyung Yoo, known by his students as Master Lion, took himself to Westmead Hospital with serious injuries in the early hours of Tuesday morning, TheDaily Telegraph reports.

Police were alerted to the siutation and travelled to the martial arts studio where they found the bodies of Ms Cho and Benjamin in an alley outside.

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Steven and Min Cho and their son Benjamin all died.

Kwang Kyung Yoo is recovering in hospital.

It is thought Ms Cho and her son died at some point between 8pm on Monday, when studio classes finished and 1am on Tuesday, when Mr Yoo arrived at hospital.

Police are currently investigating whether Mr Yoo was linked to Ms Cho. No charges have been laid.

Mr Yoo underwent surgery on his torso and arms on Tuesday and is currently in a stable condition.

It is understood he told police he suffered the injuries at the martial arts academy, which is where the bodies of Ms Cho and the child were found.

The Cho family are Korean, with authorities in Sydney are desperately trying to contact their wider family back home to inform of the terrible news.

Mr Cho’s mother learnt about the three deaths when she arrived at her son’s home on Tuesday.

“She was told her entire family (was) wiped out,” a neighbour told The Daily Telegraph.

Benjamin was in Year 2 at Winston Hills Public School, while Mr Cho worked as a tradesman.

Parents said they were sent a “weird text” by the academy on Tuesday morning informing them lessons were cancelled because the academy’s chief instructor, Master Yoo, was in hospital.

The cryptic text announced that “pick-up at 3:10pm for afterschool activities is no longer possible”.

The bodies of Ms Choo and Benjamin were found in an alley next to the martial arts studio. Picture: Julian Andrews

“Due to injuries resulting from a car accident this morning Master is currently in the hospital,” the text read.

One mother said it was “clearly not a car accident when I saw all the police outside the studio when I went to pick up the kids from school”.

Police sources said it was too early to say if the deaths were domestic violence-related but detectives are believed to be probing the possibility of a deadly love triangle.

A woman and child have been found dead at Lion's taekwondo in North Parramatta. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dylan Coker

The crime scene of the martial arts academy has been sealed off, with firefighters covering up the windows of the studio.

In a statement, NSW Police said a man’s body was first discovered following a concern for welfare report at about 10.15am on Tuesday.

“On arrival, police located a deceased man – believed to be aged in his late 30s – with fatal injuries,” the statement said.

“About 1pm today, officers attached to Parramatta City Police Area Command located two more bodies – believed to be that of a woman, aged in her early 40s, and a young child – at a sporting centre on Daking Street in North Parramatta.

“Crime scenes were established and examined by forensic police at both locations, which are currently being treated as linked.”

“More information will be provided once it becomes available,” a statement from NSW Police said.

-with Sarah Keoghan