The “heartbroken” daughters of a domestic violence worker have asked for privacy after their mother’s throat was slit in an alleged domestic violence incident.
Paulette Mountford, 60, is known as a “warm” church worker in the Perth community, but is now fighting for her life after an alleged machete attack on Tuesday night.
Neighbors found Ms Mountford in the front yard of a house in Gooseberry Hill, east of Perth, with life-threatening stab wounds after her husband Christopher John Sullivan, 72, allegedly stabbed her. around 5:30 p.m.
The 60-year-old mother suffered injuries to her neck and torso and, as of Wednesday night, remains in a critical condition at Royal Perth Hospital after undergoing emergency surgery.
Mountford’s daughters issued a statement Wednesday as they struggled to process their mother’s injuries.
Mountford’s husband (pictured), Christopher John Sullivan, allegedly slit her throat with a machete.
A large police operation responded to the incident at the Gooseberry Hill home (pictured).
“It is too early to think about anything other than our mother’s recovery, so we ask that we be given space and privacy to focus on our mother,” they wrote.
‘Thank you to those who came to her aid in her time of need and to those who continue to care for her.
“We are devastated and completely heartbroken that our beloved mother endured such a horrific experience and is now fighting for her life at the Royal Perth Hospital.
‘For us it is difficult to understand that a person with such a good heart suffers so deeply.
‘All we want right now is for our mother to overcome her injuries, and we pray and hope that she gets better soon. She is a strong woman and we know that she will use all her strength to improve.”
Sullivan allegedly barricaded himself inside a home on Jessie Road after the alleged attack, prompting a large police response with tactical officers present.
Sullivan appeared at Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday while wearing a blue jumpsuit and said he wanted to represent himself. WA today reported.
Magistrate Tanya Watt told Sullivan he would need legal advice over the serious allegations against him and adjourned the matter to the same day.
Sullivan’s appointed attorney later returned to the defendant and said he would request legal assistance.
Sullivan did not enter a plea or request bail.
He was remanded in custody to appear at Stirling Gardens Magistrates’ Court on June 26.
One of the couple’s neighbors, Lorraine, told 9News that Ms. Mountford is a respected member of the Gooseberry Hill community.
“She is a very warm lady and also works a lot with the church,” he said.
“She goes to church and actually works on domestic violence, helping women.”
Domestic violence has become a rampant problem in Australia with many describing it as an “epidemic”.
One in four Australian women has experienced violence at the hands of their intimate partners, the people who should love them most.
Paulette Mountford (left) is in a critical condition after an alleged machete attack on Tuesday night on an east Perth street (right).
Mountford (pictured) is a respected member of the Perth community and works to support women fleeing domestic violence.
Counting Dead Women Australia, an organization that tracks violent deaths of women across the country, recorded 35 deaths as of June 2.
That means that so far this year, a woman has died from gender violence once every four and a half days.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, please contact the 1800 RESPECT hotline on 1800 737 732 for help.
Call 000 if you are in immediate danger.