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Indonesian police discovered the bodies of 56-year-old Damien John Shaw and his children inside a rented bungalow in the Kuta area of Bali on the morning of September 13 2026 after the children’s mother who was in Jakarta at the time asked a neighbour to check on the family. The woman had been on a phone call with Shaw when she heard her daughter crying and saying “stop daddy” before the call disconnected and her husband became unreachable according to a statement from Badung Regency police reported by ABC News. Neighbours including a man named Nur Khamid and the local community head forced open the door when they received no response and found the three bodies which were then transported to Prof Ngoerah General Hospital in Denpasar for autopsies and further examination.
Preliminary external examinations suggested the children aged six and four had died as a result of violent acts while Shaw is believed to have died by hanging Denpasar police Kombes Pol Leonardo D Simatupang told reporters on September 14. The family had rented the Arca Bungalow property on Jalan Three Brothers in Central Legian since 2022 with their lease running until 2029 according to police details carried by WA Today. Investigators are now examining CCTV footage from the surrounding area questioning witnesses including the wife and coordinating with the Australian consulate as the inquiry continues the Denpasar police release stated.
Western Australian Premier Roger Cook described the deaths as horrific when speaking to reporters on September 14. “This is a very sad sad situation and our hearts go out to everyone involved” he said. “We hope that we can get to the bottom of what’s gone on here as soon as possible.”
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to the family a spokesperson told AAP on September 14. “We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time” the spokesperson added while noting privacy obligations prevented further comment. Reports differ on the children’s citizenship with some outlets stating they held Australian passports while Indonesian police described them as Indonesian citizens born to Shaw’s wife who is understood to be Indonesian.
ABC News has recorded multiple tragic incidents involving Australian nationals in Bali in recent years including a Queensland woman who fell to her death from a popular cliff at Kelingking Beach the day before the Kuta discovery and a series of other unexplained deaths and accidents. Bali continues to draw large numbers of Australian visitors each year with tourism forming a significant part of the island’s economy according to repeated coverage by Australian outlets tracking regional travel patterns. Police have emphasised that full autopsy results will be required to confirm the causes of death while support helplines have been highlighted in reporting for anyone affected by the news.
