Triple-drowning of mum and two kids, 5 and 7, in Sydney river suspected “murder suicide”

The deaths of a mum and her two children on the Georges River are being treated as a suspected murder suicide.

A mother jumped into a Sydney river with her children and then attacked bystanders who tried to save them, with police treating the tragic triple-drowning as a suspected murder-suicide.

Hoai Doan, 32, and her children Mitchell, seven, and Hazel Nguyen, five, all perished in the Georges River at Lansvale in Sydney’s west about 10.15am on Saturday.

Police initially said they “did not know” what had led to the mother and her children ending up in the water, however sources said the investigations of detectives had now led them to believe the incident was premeditated, with bystanders telling how they came under attack when they tried to help the children.

Mitchell and Hazel Nguyen, who drowned with their mother Haoi Doan, in the Georges River on Saturday. Picture: GoFundMe.

Left behind after the tragedy is Ms Doan’s husband and one-year-old child who are understood not to have been present at the river, but who visited the spot on Sunday night for a vigil surrounded by family and friends.

The group stood by the water and prayed before embracing, after friends earlier told of the “unimaginable sorrow” the family now faces.

A buddhist ceremony took place at Shearer Park in Lansvale after police recovered the trio’sbodies. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

It is understood the family was well known within the local Vietnamese community, with word quickly spreading of the tragedy.

A GoFundMe fundraiser raised more than $20,000 within the first 24 hours of being set up, with organiser and family friend Sarah Vu.

“A beloved mother and her two young children tragically drowned today in Lansvale, leaving behind a profound void in our hearts and a father and baby who is only one-year-old,” Ms Vu wrote.

The young family had been at Shearer Park playing, before witnesses said they saw them walking down to a small boat jetty around 10am.

Floral tributes left on the jetty at Shearer Park in Lansvale. Picture: Tom Parrish

Minutes later, other families in the park heard shouts of distress as they entered the water and rushed to their aid.

Locals desperately tried to save the family, jumping into the water and commandeering boats and jetskis in an effort to pull them from the fast moving current.

The body of Ms Doan was recovered shortly after emergency services arrived on scene, however a major search followed for the children as they both remained missing in the murky waters.

NSW Police divers were called in and more than three hours later located the bodies of the young children.

NSW Police established a crime scene, with investigators set to prepare a report for the coroner. Picture: Tom Parrish

“These are completely tragic circumstances that anybody can feel for, not just the family, and anybody who observed what happened,” Fairfield Police Area Command’s Acting Superintendent Luke Scott said on Saturday.

“We have spoken to a number of people that were there at the time and assisted. It’s beyond words. Absolutely tragic.”

One friend of Ms Doan’s said on Facebook that the tragedy was “very painful” having only spoken to her “two days ago” and now being left “waiting for you to come back.”

Police said in a statement that a report would now be prepared for the information of the coroner.

Originally published as Triple-drowning of mum and two kids, 5 and 7, in Sydney river suspected “murder suicide”