As more details emerge of the siege in Sydney’s Martin’s Place, which ended just after 2:00am, the hostages in the horrifying incident are being identified.
The hostages who lost their lives.
Tragically, two hostages were killed during the siege: A man aged 34 and a woman aged 38 were pronounced dead after being taken to hospital.
The 38-year-old woman has now been identified as Sydney barrister and mother-of-three Katrina Dawson.
Fairfax Media reports Ms Dawson, the daughter of a top QC, has three children aged under ten – two girls and a boy. The youngest child, a girl, is just four years old.
Ms Dawson attended Ascham and received a TER of 100. She also topped her bar exams, the Brisbane Times reports. The ABC reports her husband is Paul Smith, a partner at King & Wood Mallesons, the law firm where the couple first met. Ms Dawson worked at Selborne chambers on Phillip Street in Sydney’s CBD, just a minutes’ walk from the Lindt cafe.
The Daily Telegraph reports it understands Ms Dawson died as a result of cardiac arrest.
It is understood Ms Dawson was getting a coffee with her work colleague at the time of the siege. The Australian reported her three children did not know she was a hostage until Tuesday morning.
“We are shocked and devastated by the tragic and senseless death of our darling Katrina,” Ms Dawson’s family said in a statement.
“She was an amazing woman and the most loving and loved wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, in-law and blessed with a wonderful circle of friends and colleagues.
