Police are searching for the partner of a woman who was found dead amid a ‘quite horrific’ scene inside a NSW home.
Emergency services were called to home in Ellalong Street in Kearsley, near Cessnock, after reports of a domestic violence incident on Friday evening.
Rhukaya Lake, believed to be 39 years old, was found dead at the home from an apparent gunshot wound.
Police understand three children were home at the time of the incident, with one walking up the road ‘seeking support of neighbours’, NSW Superintendent Steve Laksa said.
The scene was ‘quite horrific and traumatic’, he told reporters on Saturday, reports news.com.au.
‘It was a traumatic incident, as you’d imagine, quite horrific for family members, all involved – her three young children, or two adult children, one young child,’ he said.
Police are investigating the death of Rhukaya Lake who was shot dead in her Ellalong Street home in Kearsley, NSW
Police are looking to speak with Christopher James McLoughney in relation to the incident
A neighbour told the publication the child who is understood to have escaped the home was screaming ‘hysterically’ for help.
‘It was bloody shocking,’ Cecil Campbell told The Daily Telegraph.
‘This has never happened here before.
‘There was a child at the premises at the time of the offence, that child has been interviewed and provided information to police, police have been informed that child walked a distance of some 300 to 400 metres from the residence seeking the support of neighbours.’
Passers-by not from the area who stopped and supported the child were the ones to call triple-0, Superintendent Laksa added.
The child told officers her mother ‘had blood dripping from her head’ during the interview.
Superintendent Laksa said police were looking to speak to Christopher James McLoughney, 37, in relation to the incident.
Mr McLoughney is believed to have been in a relationship with the deceased woman.
Emergency services were called to Ellalong Street in Kearsley, near Cessnock in NSW’s Hunter Valley, about 7.30pm Friday
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000
Mr McLoughney is described as being white with very short red hair and about 175cm in height.
Superintendent Laksa warned Mr McLoughney may be armed.
The suspect is believed to be around the Cessnok, Lower Hunter or Newcastle areas.
NSW police have asked community members to use caution if they know or see this person.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
