The Maori community left shaken by the death of a woman and two of her children allegedly at the hands of her teenage son has mourned its loss in a heart-wrenching vigil.
More than 200 people converged on Ellenbrook in Perth’s east Sunday to honour the lives of murdered Michelle Peterson, 48, and her children Bella, 15 and Rua, eight.
Many relatives flew in from Ms Peterson’s native New Zealand, with Maori men performing an emotional rendition of the haka before crowds at the service.
More than 200 people converged on Ellenbrook in Perth’s east Sunday to honour the lives of murdered Michelle Peterson (pictured), 48, and her children Bella, 15 and Rua, eight
Many relatives flew in from Ms Peterson’s native New Zealand, with Maori men performing an emotional rendition of the haka (pictured) before crowds at the service
Ms Petersen was remembered as a strong woman who would do anything for her children and fellow community members.
‘Michelle was a strong, resilient woman, she would do absolutely anything for her kids,’ and emotional attendee said.
Another added, ‘we walked alongside her, we listened to her stories, and we supported her in every way we possibly could’.
Earlier in the day hundreds of motorcyclists took part in a memorial ride across the eastern suburbs to commemorate the murder victims.
Teancum Vernon Petersen-Crofts, 19, has been charged with murdering his mother and two siblings at their Ellenbrook home in the early hours of last Sunday morning.
Bella (left), 15, and her son Rua (right), eight, were allegedly killed by Ms Peterson’s son
Petersen-Crofts appeared in a Perth court the following morning charged with three counts of murder.
Appearing before Midland Magistrate’s Court without a lawyer, the accused broke down and rambled over the top of Magistrate Greg Smith, before allegedly attacking security.
‘He’s a criminal,’ Petersen-Crofts told the court, speaking of an unknown person.
‘He went to take me out bush. He did it. He came back from my family.
‘I needed to because mama is with me…I was painting a picture of Jesus and stayed there for two months. He punched me so hard in the head. So hard.
‘I left because I was that scared he was going to kill me. Mama told me to save myself.’
Teancum Vernon Petersen-Crofts, 19, has been charged with murdering his mother and two siblings at their Ellenbrook home in the early hours of last Sunday morning (pictured Bella)
Peterson-Crofts (pictured) was reportedly in a psychotic state hours before he allegedly murdered his mother and two siblings
When court security attempted to calm him, he allegedly hit out at a guard, WA Today reports.
‘What are you looking at, serial killer? He looks like a serial killer and he’s a security guard,’ he said.
Meanwhile, Petersen-Crofts’ presentation to a public hospital in a ‘psychotic state’ the Saturday before the killings is being looked into.
Media reports suggested he had been sent home but others speculated he had left of his own accord.
WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson revealed officers had been called to the family home several times in the weeks and days before the killings.
He said the actions taken by officers who attended were appropriate in the circumstances.
One of Ms Petersen’s friends, Toni Ata, set up a crowdfunding page for the funerals that has already exceeded the $20,000 target.
‘Her surviving children can’t afford a funeral, or a casket, let alone three,’ Ms Ata wrote.
‘Right now I feel lost, I want to help and this is the only way I know how.’
The 19-year-old has been charged with three counts of murder over the deaths at the family home (pictured) in Ellenbrook, in Perth’s north-east, in the early hours of last Sunday
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