Police have confirmed that a woman found dead at the scene of a suspected murder-suicide in Charleville, Queensland, was pregnant. The revelation came as authorities detailed the heroic actions of officers who rescued a toddler from what they described as an “incredibly confronting, traumatic and tragic crime scene”.
Victims identified
Julia Brunsdon, 23, and Michael Waltke, 45, were found dead at a property on King St in Charleville on Wednesday, following a police stand-off that locked down the area. Southern Region Assistant Commissioner Matthew Vanderbyl confirmed on Friday that the pair were in a relationship and that Brunsdon was pregnant. He said it was too early to say whether the baby was Waltke’s.
Details of the pair’s injuries have not been disclosed, with post-mortem examinations to be held in Brisbane next week. Vanderbyl could not say if the woman was alive when police arrived, as authorities continue to piece together the sequence of events.
Officers in grave danger
Vanderbyl described the situation as “volatile and dynamic”, adding that police believed Waltke was armed and that they were in “grave danger”. “Whether firearms or other weapons are involved will probably likely be confirmed earlier next week once we’ve completed our examination of the crime scene,” he said.
Police were called to the home about 5.30pm on Wednesday following reports of a serious assault. When the situation became threatening, officers were forced to retreat. Negotiators and a specialist emergency response team were called in, and local streets were locked down.
Toddler rescued
The toddler, covered in blood, was spotted at a doorway and “immediately scooped up” by a second-year constable. “That police officer took that distressed child and did what anybody who has young children or knows young children would do and just held that child close to his chest, and turned himself away from the scene of danger and from the bright lights and from what was going on,” Vanderbyl said. “You have to feel for a child who has potentially seen what I suspect that she has seen.”
The child had a minor scratch but was not physically injured beyond that. Vanderbyl added that the constable and at least two other officers at the home “probably prevented further tragedy”. “To see a little one come from such a position of great distress is really heart warming and moving,” he said. “To be doing it under threat of your life and the lives of your colleagues who are in that dynamic situation is extraordinary. And his supervisor is saying, you’ve got to go, take the little one, get her out, get her out, get her out.”
Investigation ongoing
“It’s both a death in police operation, but it’s also a homicide investigation. And we do that at the direction of the coroner,” Vanderbyl said. Police and forensic technicians will remain at the property over the weekend, with authorities flagging a “lengthy, detailed investigation as we uncover the entirety of the circumstances around the two people involved”.
The couple is believed to have lived in Charleville for some time. The child safety department is working with the family regarding the welfare of the little girl.
The incident has sent shudders through the rural town and broader Shire of Murweh, mayor Shaun Radnedge said. “This is a heartbreaking day for Charleville and for the wider Murweh community. We’re a close-knit community and an incident of this nature is felt deeply by many people.”
If you need help in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. In an emergency, call triple-0. If you or someone you know is experiencing family violence, phone 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) or the Crisis Care Helpline on 1800 199 008. Advice and counselling for men concerned about their use of family violence: Men’s Referral Service, 1300 766 491.
