Merrylands stabbings: Setefano Leaaetoa charged with murder after escaping mental health care facility
Setefano Leaaetoa, 25, who allegedly went on a stabbing spree in Sydney after fleeing professional mental health care and evading police for 10 days, has been charged with murder.
On Tuesday morning, a man police said was aged between 30 and 40 died after suffering stab wounds at a store in Merrylands.
Two people, a 22-year-old man and a 47-year-old woman, remained in critical condition.
Leaaetoa was charged with murder on Wednesday morning as questions emerged about how locals were not warned about his alleged evasion of professional care.
The murder suspect was seen holding a long knife estimated to be between 20-30cm in CCTV footage recorded during the alleged stabbing.
The lively area was quarantined around 10 a.m. on Tuesday after police learned of the alleged attack and caught the attacker.
Leaaetoa was found behind a house in Smythe Street, Merrylands, around 40 minutes after the alleged stabbing.
“A man has been charged with murder after an alleged stabbing in Sydney’s west left one man dead and two others seriously injured yesterday morning,” a NSW Police spokesman said.
“He was taken to Granville Police Station and charged with murder and two counts of wounding a person with intent to murder/inflicting grievous bodily harm.”
Alleged killer escaped from NSW Health custody
In a statement, NSW Health Western Sydney Local Health District expressed its “tolerance” by confirming that a 25-year-old man escaped from their care while being transferred between facilities on February 7.
“We express our condolences to the families and victims of the deeply saddening incident that took place in Merrylands today,” the statement said.
It is confirmed that Leaaetoa was transported to the emergency department at Westmead.
“This individual escaped care while being transferred from Cumberland Hospital to Westmead Hospital emergency department for further medical evaluation.”
“NSW Police were notified and the patient’s family was contacted, however all attempts by WSLHD to contact this individual were unsuccessful.
“A formal review of the person’s care and treatment will be carried out, which will include an external senior psychiatrist.”
Despite the patient escaping from professional NSW Health mental health services, the public was not informed that a potentially dangerous man was on the run.
Leaaetoa is scheduled to appear before Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday.
