The mother of a two-year-old killed in a suspected murder-suicide by his father has expressed grief at the “evil and cowardly act of violence”, while the New South Wales health minister condemned an email describing the killer as a “wonderful colleague and beloved friend” .
The bodies of 38-year-old James Harrison and his two-year-old son, Rowan, were found three days ago in a unit in East Lismore, after the child’s mother, Sophie Roome, raised concerns after Harrison failed to hand over the child after an access visit. Police suspect the deaths were a murder-suicide.
Roome and her family expressed “incomprehensible grief” at the loss of “beloved Rowan” in a statement sent to ABC News on Wednesday.
His death was “an evil and cowardly act of violence, perpetrated by a person he should have been able to trust the most,” the family’s statement said.
“There are no possible excuses for this hurt, and no end to the pain it has caused.
“We are devastated … We will love and miss Rowan forever.”
The statement said Rowan “had so many amazing qualities, and his short life was filled with rich and happy experiences”.
“He loved music, the beach, swimming, his friends and his family,” it said.
“He touched the hearts of everyone lucky enough to be in his world.”
Roome’s family also acknowledged the “immense” suffering of Harrison’s family.
Email to killer’s colleagues condemned
An email remembering Harrison as a “wonderful colleague and beloved friend” and sent to his former colleagues was labelled “inappropriate” and “unacceptable” on Wednesday.
NSW minister for health, Ryan Park, said the email “was completely unacceptable and has caused significant distress to staff”.
“I want to make clear that it does not reflect the views of NSW Health, and that it was not in any way endorsed or authorised by Health.”
The email, first reported in the Daily Telegraph, read: “It is with indescribable sadness that I find myself letting you know that James Harrison and his son Rowan died on Sunday.”
“There are no words to adequately describe the loss of a wonderful colleague and beloved friend,” the NSW Health staff member continued.
The email announced “support services for staff”, and Guardian Australia understand it was sent to a number of Harrison’s former colleagues.
A NSW Health spokesperson said the organisation “does not endorse” and “did not approve the inappropriate email” .
“The tragic events that unfolded in Lismore last weekend are having a profound impact on the community, including many of our staff members,” the spokesperson said.
• In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. Other international suicide helplines can be found at befrienders.org
