A man accused of killing his partner and baby daughter in Logan, south of Brisbane, was suffering a "schizoaffective disorder", a court has heard.
The bodies of 37-year-old Kate Paterson and 11-month-old April were found dead inside a Belivah home on the morning of 12 March. Two charges of murder were mentioned in Brisbane Magistrates Court before being remanded to the Beenleigh court on March 25.
Blake Matthew Seers, 38, allegedly killed his fiancée Kate Paterson and the couple's 11-month-old daughter April at their home in Logan on Thursday. Police said they had initially attended the residence after a man who lived there, Blake Seers, had been hit by a car nearby. Witnesses raised the alarm after seeing a man covered in blood running along a footpath before he was hit by a black utility about 300m from the family home.
Defence lawyer Nicholas Andrews said Seers had been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and would need medical support in custody. The disorder is a chronic mental health condition combining schizophrenia symptoms, including hallucinations and delusions, with episodes of depression and mania, according to Queensland Health. Seers remains in hospital and did not appear as charges were mentioned in court.
Speaking to the court, defence lawyer Nicholas Andrews placed on record that Mr Seers has a diagnosed schizoaffective disorder. Andrews said "Our thoughts are with those who've been affected by this tragedy," and that "It's currently progressing through the courts and there's some mental health considerations here."
Paterson was a teacher at Windaroo State School, who had just returned from maternity leave. The deaths have shaken the community, with flowers and handwritten notes piling up outside both the home and the school. The family of three were just about to celebrate their daughter's first birthday and their wedding when tragedy unexpectedly struck.
A candlelit vigil for Ms Paterson and her baby girl was held by her neighbours, friends and those from her school community, with a flower-laying ceremony and a tree decorated with flowers and stuffed toys in their memories.
No domestic violence orders had been in place before the incident. The investigation remains ongoing as Seers continues to receive medical treatment in hospital under police guard.