A mother is dead and her eight-year-old son is in a coma after a shocking kidnapping that may have ended with her being burned alive. On Thursday, April 17, 2025, at about 10:30 pm, a group of up to five men broke into a 45-year-old woman's Bankstown home in Sydney's southwest and severely assaulted both her and her son before she was dragged into an SUV.
That car was later found burnt out in Beverly Hills, about 6km away, with a body discovered inside after fire crews extinguished the blaze. Superintendent Rodney Hart stated that the body was so badly burnt that visual identification was impossible, but police strongly believe it is the 45-year-old who was kidnapped. Authorities cannot rule out that the woman was burned alive.
This crime is horrendous; the level of violence is unheard of," Supt Hart said. "But I want to reassure the community we strongly believe this is a targeted incident and this has not been a random kidnapping." Authorities were called to the Bankstown house about 10:30 pm on Thursday after the kidnapping was reported. They were informed that a group of people had broken into the property and kidnapped the woman.
Police say the kidnappers, who had firearms, assaulted an eight-year-old boy with a baseball bat before forcing the woman into an SUV. The eight-year-old underwent surgery for serious head injuries and remained in an induced coma in ICU, in a serious but stable condition. His 15-year-old brother, who has provided police with an account of the ordeal, was also taken to the hospital for assessment.
Having spoken with him on Friday morning, police believe their father was on a business trip interstate. "He has spoken to police, and he's on his way back to Sydney now to support his two children and to assist police with their inquiries," Supt Hart said. "The two children are our main focus; their welfare and their security is paramount to us." Police do not know how the group of men were known to the 45-year-old or if the incident was gang or organized crime-related.
They will undertake a "very large" CCTV search canvassing the 6km between the two crime scenes, appealing for members of the public with relevant information or video footage to come forward. "We have put all available resources on this strike force so that we can assure that we will do the best for these children and the husband," Supt Hart said. Crime scenes have been set up at both the house where the kidnapping occurred and at the burnt-out car.
On Thursday night, a neighbor reported seeing a group of men wearing hoodies and speaking Arabic, who were hanging around the corner from about 7:30 pm. They later forced their way into the home, assaulted the woman, and struck her eight-year-old son with a baseball bat, leaving him injured in the driveway alongside his 15-year-old brother. The men then dragged the woman from the house and forced her into the back seat of the black SUV, the older boy later told police.
About an hour later, emergency services were called to Welfare Ave in Beverly Hills following reports of a car fire involving a vehicle similar to the dark SUV. Fire and Rescue NSW extinguished the blaze, but the car was destroyed. Upon inspecting the wreckage, police found a body inside, extremely burnt. While the body is yet to be formally identified, it is suspected to belong to the 45-year-old woman.
The tragic new details come as witnesses have revealed their shock at seeing a car ablaze in their street. A resident of the street told 7NEWS.com.au her husband first became aware of the incident when he heard the sound of "explosions" from the fire. She said he rushed outside to discover the car alight and police officers at the scene. She said it was normally a very "friendly and quiet" neighborhood and the incident has left locals shaken. "It is very scary," she said.
The police investigation is still in its early stages, and officers are yet to determine a motive or whether the incident is gang-related. Hart confirmed the family is not well-known to police. Officers have contacted the boys’ father— the victim’s husband— who was interstate on business and is now returning to Sydney. He is expected to assist with the investigation and support his sons, who remain in hospital.
The younger boy has undergone surgery and remains in intensive care with serious head injuries, but is in a stable condition. Hart said the children are the main focus for police. "I can only imagine what these children went through, seeing their mother dragged out of their home, forced into the back of a car, for an eight-year-old and a 15-year-old, what that will do to them, I can only imagine," he said.
As inquiries continue, anyone with any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. "I want to ask the community, we need your assistance, anybody with information, no matter how small it is, I implore you to make contact," Hart said. "This level of violence is horrendous; it is confronting, but we are going to do our best day in and day out to bring these people to justice."
