Mother Murdered in Bordertown, Leaving Six Children Orphaned

Six children have been left orphaned following the tragic deaths of their parents in what police have confirmed was a murder-suicide in Bordertown, South Australia.

The bodies of 41-year-old mother Shafeedqa Husseini and her 47-year-old husband Mirza were discovered by police late Sunday night during a welfare check at their home, located around 167 miles southeast of Adelaide. Authorities arrived at the scene around 11pm after concerns were raised by a relative who had been in contact with the couple earlier that day but was later unable to reach them.

Investigations revealed that Mirza had murdered his wife before taking his own life. Acting Assistant Commissioner Cath Hilliard stated during a press conference on Monday that the couple had previously come to police attention due to a domestic violence incident earlier in the year involving Husseini. However, there were no current court-imposed restrictions in place to prevent contact between them at the time of the incident.

Thankfully, the couple’s children were not at home when the deaths occurred. Neighbours and members of the local community expressed deep sorrow over the loss. The family, originally from Afghanistan, had migrated to Australia approximately 15 years ago and were known to be hardworking members of the community. Several family members had been employed at JBS Meatworks, a local meat processing company.

Neighbour Merrilyn Newman told The Adelaide Advertiser that the couple had adult children, some of whom were attending university. She added: “It’s devastating, it’s really sad – especially because they are from so far away, so as far as relatives and someone to lean on, you haven’t got it.”

Adeel Khan, manager of the Bordertown Islamic Community Centre, remembered Shafeedqa as a kind-hearted and generous woman who was always eager to help during community events. “She was a very good cook, so we used to request her and she used to cook food for our community,” he said.

Mr Khan said the news had sent shockwaves through the tight-knit community. “It’s really sad news … whatever has happened is not good, it’s a massive shock,” he said. “It’s a small community, everyone knows each other … so we will be missing these guys.”

The tragedy has left a community in mourning and six children without their parents. Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths while offering support services to the affected family members and community.