- New footage shows a mother of two being kidnapped. She was later found dead in a burning car in Bankstown.
- Her 8-year-old son was beaten in the attack, and he remains in a coma at Sydney Children’s Hospital.
- Police are searching for five suspects, saying they believe the crime was targeted and involved extreme violence.
New footage has emerged of the terrifying final moments of a mother-of-two who was violently kidnapped from her home by five hooded men and later found dead in a burning car.
The vision, blocked partially by trees and other vehicles, captured two cars, a white sedan and dark-coloured SUV, pulling up on the normally quiet Edward St in Bankstown about 10.30pm on Thursday night.
Figures are seen moving towards the house, with the 45-year-old woman appearing to be bundled into the SUV a short time later.
In the chilling minutes between, the woman was allegedly stripped naked and her 8-year-old son was beaten with a baseball bat by one of the masked intruders.
The child remains in an induced coma in Sydney Children’s Hospital in Randwick, as police continue their search for the five men who remain on the run.
Neighbours were shaken by the incident, one resident recalling having heard two loud screams on what is understood to be a usually quiet street.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Superintendent Rodney Hart said the group of men produced a gun, before forcing the woman into the back seat of a dark coloured SUV and driving her away.
An hour later, emergency services were called to a car fire at Welfare Ave, Beverly Hills, with firefighters battling the blaze but unable to save the vehicle.
“Fire and Rescue extinguished that vehicle, which was extensively damaged (and) a search of that vehicle unfortunately located a severely burned body in the back seat of the car,” Superintendent Hart said.
“Although visual identification at this stage is impossible, we strongly believe and suspect that the body is that of the 45-year-old woman and mother of those children who had earlier been kidnapped.
“This crime is horrendous. The level of violence is unheard of ... we strongly believe that this is a targeted incident.”
The woman’s husband and father to the two boys was interstate for business at the time and is returning to Sydney to assist police.
Superintendent Hart said police had spoken to a number of witnesses and are planning to do a “very, very large” canvas of CCTV footage across the six kilometres between the two crime scenes.
Police have not ruled out whether the incident was gang or organised crime-related.
It is unknown if the woman was dead when the vehicle was set alight.
A crime scene has been established at both locations as investigations by Strike Force Bushfield continue.
Forensic specialists, alongside detectives, were seen at the Bankstown property on Friday afternoon.
A large section of the street remained closed off on Friday afternoon, even to locals returning home.
“We have put all our resources on this strike force so we can assure that we will do the best for these children and the husband,” Superintendent Hart added.
“I can only imagine what those children went through, seeing their mother dragged out of the home.
“We are going to put all the support we can around them, and they are our main focus.”
Anyone with information is urged to come forward.