Expat nurse ‘is stabbed to death by son’ in Australia
A SCOTTISH woman has allegedly been stabbed to death by her son in front of paramedics at her home in Australia.
Carol Ann Cameron, 63, originally from Uphall, West Lothian, died on Monday after being subjected to a violent attack at her house in Perth.
Her son, Callum, 27, who has a history of mental health problems and drug addiction, has been arrested and is receiving medical treatment.
Mr Cameron had returned to the family home, apparently under the influence of drugs, and collapsed before being revived by paramedics.
It is alleged that he then stabbed Miss Cameron – a nurse who specialised in cancer treatment – a number of times before he was finally tasered and restrained by police officers.
Police said paramedics were called by Miss Cameron to treat a man in relation to a ‘medical episode’. But the crews quickly requested urgent assistance from police at 2.25am on Monday and several units had to be deployed.
When officers arrived, they found Miss Cameron inside the home with ‘multiple injuries’. She died at Royal Perth Hospital.
Family members in Scotland released a statement to The Times which said: ‘She was a much-loved mother, partner, sister, auntie and friend, who worked as a nurse and had spent much of her career in cancer care.
‘We are all devastated by what has happened and ask the family be given space to grieve.’
News reports in Australia said that Mr Cameron, who has been in and out of psychiatric hospitals for a number of years, was believed to have taken DMT, a drug which can produce vivid hallucinations.
Australian media reported that his mother was attacked in front of paramedics, whom she had called just moments before.
Miss Cameron’s long-term partner, Chris Hancock, a botanist who was born in England, was working in the bush when the attack happened.
Mr Cameron was born in Australia and has only visited Scotland once as a boy.
He is being kept under guard at Fiona Stanley Hospital, in the Perth suburb of Murdoch.