Kiwi's pregnant ex-wife found dead in Sydney home

Kirralee Paepaerei was found with stab wounds to her face and chest. Photo / Facebook

A heavily pregnant woman found dead in her Sydney home was married to a Kiwi and their teenage son made the devastating discovery.

Kirralee Paepaerei, 37, was married to Australian based New Zealander Ti Paepaerei for more than a decade and the couple have four children together.

They are now separated and Ms Paepaerei was pregnant to her 38-year-old de facto partner, said a relative.

New South Wales Police said Ms Paepaerei's 16-year-old son came home last night to find his mother with fatal head and neck injuries and stab wounds.

Her partner was now in police custody and their Mt Druitt neighbourhood was cordoned off as police investigated.

A relative who did not wish to be named said Mr Paepaerei was supporting his son, who was distraught.

"He's really not all there right now, he's doing it really hard right now."

She said Mr Paepaerei was looking after their four children, aged between 16 and 6-years-old at Ms Paepaerei's parents home nearby.

The children were gathered at the relative's home earlier when their father delivered the horrible news.

"He was at the scene this morning, but then had to go and get his son from the police station

"He's devastated that the kids are going to grow up without a mum now."

The couple shared custody of their children.

According to police, Ms Paepaerei was seven months pregnant.

Cordons were in place in the neighbourhood as police were investigated the death, which they said was suspicious.

The relative said Ms Paepaerei's partner was believed to have handed himself into police last night.

Fairfax media reported the man was under police guard at a local hospital, where he was taken for treatment of minor head injuries sustained from trying to jump through a window.

Mr Paepaerei and his family moved to New South Wales from Auckland in the 1980s.