A couple found dead at their home had a Christmas dinner with their disabled children before killing themselves, friends said.<\/p>\n
Julia and Jan Tshabalala had their family meal a day early on Christmas Eve, then sent their two young children to stay with relatives.<\/p>\n
The next morning they were found dead in an apparent suicide pact.<\/p>\n
Neighbours said they had seemed to be a \u2018nice happy family\u2019. The couple\u2019s daughter, Serena, had cerebral palsy, although she did not need a wheelchair, while their son, Junior, had learning difficulties.<\/p>\n
\u2018They were very nice people,\u2019 said their next-door neighbour, who asked not to be named. \u2018We used to receive Christmas cards from them. They were a very private couple, but we would always speak to them over the fence. They always seemed like a happy couple, but you never really know do you?\u2019<\/p>\n
Police visited the rented \u00a3150,000 home in Billingshurst, West Sussex, on Christmas Day after a relative went to the house just after 9am. He apparently looked through a window and saw Jan, 33, who worked as a carer, hanging in a room. His wife Julia, in her 30s, was also dead inside.<\/p>\n
Yesterday, the couple\u2019s white Kia 4\u00d74 was outside their home, and a police officer was seen feeding the family\u2019s pet rabbits.<\/p>\n
Their children, thought to be aged between four and seven, go to a local school specialising in learning difficulties.<\/p>\n
Residents said that the situation was \u2018absolutely awful\u2019. There were rumours the couple had been in financial trouble, although friends dismissed the idea.<\/p>\n
Another said: \u2018I last saw Julia on Christmas Eve and she seemed happy. Julia didn\u2019t work and just looked after the kids. The little girl has cerebral palsy \u2013 she\u2019s a lovely little girl, very quiet. And the boy has learning difficulties too. But she never said she was struggling.\u2019<\/p>\n
A third said: \u2018I was the one who got in and found them. It\u2019s been a real shock.\u2019<\/p>\n
Another said: \u2018I heard from other neighbours that they had financial worries. I am in absolute shock and how tragic for the children.\u2019<\/p>\n
The couple were both declared dead at the scene. Sussex Police said post-mortem examinations will be carried out and it was not clear whether Mrs Tshabalala suffered injuries or was suffocated.<\/p>\n
Police sealed off the house but declined to reveal if suicide notes had been found, saying: \u2018Officers are working to establish the circumstances of the death but are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident.<\/p>\n
Source: DailyMail<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A couple found dead at their home had a Christmas dinner with their disabled children before killing themselves, friends said. Julia and Jan Tshabalala had their family meal a day early on Christmas Eve, then sent their two young children to stay with relatives. The next morning they were found dead in an apparent suicide […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":77628,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[38,14,7],"yoast_head":"\n