Police allege Charlotte (left), 3, and Beatrix and Alice (second left, right), 2, their mother Mara, 47, and grandmother, Beverley Quinn, 74, were murdered by Anthony Harvey. Photo / Supplied
Police allege Charlotte (left), 3, and Beatrix and Alice (second left, right), 2, their mother Mara, 47, and grandmother, Beverley Quinn, 74, were murdered by Anthony Harvey. Photo / Supplied
The sister of Mara Lee Harvey, who was murdered with her Kiwi mother and three young daughters in their Bedford home in Perth last week, has revealed the harrowing way she found out her family was dead.
Speaking to Nine News, Taryn Tottman said she turned on the television and recognised her sister's house on the news.
"You never recover from something like this," Ms Tottman told Nine. "Part of me didn't think it was real."
Taryn and Alan Tottman say their family will never recover from the loss. Photo / 9 News
Father-of-three Anthony Harvey, 24, allegedly murdered his 41-year-old wife, Mara, three-year-old daughter Charlotte, and two-year-old twins Alice and Beatrix on September 3 — a day after Father's Day — before killing his wife's mother Beverley Quinn, 73, the next day when she turned up at the house.
Brother-in-law Alan Tottman said that there was never any indication Ms Harvey was in danger.
"It's just a very raw time, it's just unfathomable," he said. "We can't come to terms with what's happened, we don't know why it's happened.
"There was no indication of trouble, problems."
Mr Harvey allegedly used a blunt instrument and knives to kill his five family members. Police say he stayed in the house for days before travelling about 1500km north, and then turned himself in on Sunday.
Mr Harvey, who ran a Jim's Mowing franchise, gave no hint of financial or emotional problems over the past few months, said Jim's Group managing director Jim Penman earlier this week.
Anthony Harvey is accused of murdering Mara Harvey, her three children and her mother. Photo / Facebook
Ms Tottman said the last time she saw her mother and sister was at a funeral on August 27 and they both seemed fine. "We were sisters. We had times when we laughed. We just laughed," she told Nine.
The couple said their two youngest children did not understand what had happened to their family members but their son understood some of it.
"There's only a certain amount he understands, so his innocence makes it easier," Ms Tottman said.
"He didn't want to go to Grandma's anymore, he didn't like it because she's not there."
Mr Tottman added: "Grandma is gone, Aunty Mara is gone. It's very hard to look at their little faces and explain that."
The couple also thanked the community for their support. "Complete strangers have been amazing, overwhelming. My mum would have been humbled," Ms Tottman said.
"Everybody has been so supportive and so encouraging … it's nice to know people care."
Police allege Charlotte (left), 3, and Beatrix and Alice (second left, right), 2, their mother Mara, 47, and grandmother, Beverley Quinn, 74, were murdered by Anthony Harvey. Photo / Supplied
Mr Tottman said the family would never recover from their loss.
"This will be forever. Time will heal certain pain but this will just go on forever," he said.
A GoFundMe page has so far raised more than $18,000 for the family's funerals. It is the third family mass murder in WA in four months, representing 15 of 23 domestic violence-related deaths in the state this year.
Mr Harvey is due to face court for the second time next week.
