A local football coach and the father of two boys under five, friends thought Damien Little was a doting dad.
But the small community of Port Lincoln in South Australia is reeling today at the news that Little drove his car off a wharf, killing his children and himself.
The children were Koda, four, and Hunter, almost one.
Police were called to Brennan Wharf in Port Lincoln after six yesterday morning with witnesses reporting that a white Ford was driven at speed off the wharf.
Divers were called to the scene and at around 12.30pm the bodies of Little and the boys were retrieved from the car, which has sunk to a depth of about 30 metres. A rifle was reportedly also recovered.
Police are treating the tragedy as a murder-suicide.
Little’s friends told the Adelaide Advertiser the news came as a total shock.
“I saw (Little) about three days ago at the beach and he seemed absolutely fine,” said one friend.
Little reportedly posted a suicide note on the Facebook page he shared with his wife, Melissa, at around 5.45 am yesterday, but it had since been taken down.
Neighbours say both parents doted on the children.
“I just loved them. It breaks my heart. It is just so tragic.”
Another neighbour said the older boy, Koda, was often out and about in the garden with his dad and liked to ride a quad bike with him.
Little, in his 30s, was one of five AFL-loving brothers who grew up on a farm in Port Kenny, about two hours from Port Lincoln.
Little and his brothers played for Lincoln South Football Club, where Damien also coached.
Mayor of Port Lincoln, Bruce Green, said the apparent murder-suicide had shocked the community.
“It’s obviously a tragedy for the community. Over the next few days as this unfolds on how it happened and who the people were, the sadness and the knowledge will be hurtful in the community.”
Witnesses said the car sank too quickly, and too deep, for anyone to try and jump in to check on any occupants.
A small tribute to the boys was set up on the wharf yesterday evening, with flowers, stuffed toys and a hat marking the scene.
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Top Comments
How can anyone say that this man was evil.
No one knows why he did it
Yes there was no reason to take two beautiful children's
Life.
There had to be a reason why.
People do this normally over custody battles.
But this person was a beautiful loving daddy.
They were going to buy a property did it fall though? Was it money. Did he feel let down and disappointed?
No one knows why he did this.
Why judge?
There's reason
I'm sorry but I don't accept that. Taking your own life is one thing - there is always a reason yes. But taking the life of his two children? There is no reason. There is none.
We have the right to judge anyone who callously murders 2 beautiful infants.
Everyone can say what he did was evil because it was....he murdered two children - there is no reason to do that!!
Parents protect their children not murder them or abuse them. TIME TO STOP WITH THE EXCUSES this act cannot and will not, by the majority of the community, be condoned!
My heart goes out to the family and friends in the wake of this terrible event. In cases like this, it is usually that the person with depression sees no hope and wants to protect his children from what he sees as a terrible world by taking them with him. Little seems to have been a model citizen up to this point and that says a lot. The family will have to live with what happened for the rest of their lives but hopefully, in time, they will be able to take some comfort in knowing that he 'wasn't in his right mind' and very probably thought he was doing the best thing for his children by saving them from a 'cruel world'. RIP.