Huntingdale, Melbourne: Man, 47, charged after allegedly threatening to kill pregnant mother

Man is accused of threatening to kill a woman’s unborn baby in terrifying ‘random attack’ on a young family as he fronts court over a string of other charges

• Man, 47, charged over alleged attack at petrol station
• Man allegedly threatened to kill pregnant mother 
• CCTV showed man kicking passenger side door 

By Olivia Day and Danyal Hussain For Daily Mail Australia and Tara Cosoleto For Australian Associated Press

Published: 11:26 BST, 3 April 2023 | Updated: 11:26 BST, 3 April 2023

A man who left a young family traumatised after allegedly threatening to kill a pregnant mother and her unborn child has been charged. 

Shruthi Sheshagiri had been waiting for her husband and five-year-old son at an Ampol service station in Huntingdale, in the city’s southeast, when a man approached her car at about 9:30pm on March 17. 

Police allege the man threatened to kill the woman if she did not open the car door, kicking and punching the vehicle before leaving on his motorbike. 

Detectives on Monday arrested a 47-year-old man from Clayton South in Melbourne over the alleged attack after receiving a tip from the public. 

He was charged with making threats to kill, criminal damage, disqualified driving, riding an unregistered vehicle and committing indictable offences while on bail.

CCTV footage from the petrol station shows a man kicking the car after a running jump, with the impact leaving a large dent in the passenger side door. 

Shruthi Sheshagiri and her husband Mahesh Sriramaiah (pictured together) say they have been left traumatised by the alleged attack at a Melbourne petrol station

CCTV showed the moment the man started kicking the passenger side door

Ms Sheshagiri’s husband, Mahesh Sriramaiah, said his family had been traumatised by the alleged attack, with his five-year-old son struggling to cope. 

‘It is unfair. It has shook us in our personal lives,’ he told 9News. 

‘He’s already mentioned this to a couple of his friends, to his teacher.’

His heavily-pregnant wife said she was receiving support from her friends and community and that her workplace had offered her professional counselling. 

‘I should see some sunshine on the other side,’ she said. 

Senior Constable Sean Embery said last week the family’s experience was one ‘of the most traumatic things’ he could imagine. 

Detectives on Monday arrested a 47-year-old man from Clayton South (pictured) over the alleged attack after receiving a tip from the public

‘I can’t even begin to put myself in their position,’ he said. 

‘It’s something that is not only concerning for this family but for the wider community in the area.’

The 47-year-old man was also charged over a separate assault on a 19-year-old man in Clayton on March 23, as well as an unrelated home burglary. 

The man was remanded to appear at Moorabbin Magistrates Court on April 12. 

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