Devastated community mourn slain teacher and her baby

More than 300 friends, neighbours, and community members have gathered to mourn the loss of one of their own following the deaths of a local teacher and her baby girl on Thursday.

The bodies of Kate Paterson, 38, and her one-year-old daughter, April, were discovered by police on Thursday morning in the Logan suburb of Belivah with what they have described as wounds inflicted by a bladed weapon.

Paterson was a year 5 teacher at Windaroo State School, a five-minute drive from the house through the ever-expanding estates of the Logan area.

On Friday night, students from nearby schools still in uniform, families with small children, and long-time locals gathered in a park near Paterson’s home to lay flowers, toys, and light candles for the pair.

A pair of women took a photo with a framed image of Paterson and her infant daughter, saying they “wanted to get one last photo with her”.

A note addressed to “Ms Paterson” was laid within the vigil.

Owen Bailey, whose home was just streets away from Paterson and her daughter said he had never seen anything like it over the 10 years he had lived in the community.

“I actually spoke to these people only a week back,” he said.

“I was walking [and] I spoke to the lady and the daughter and the partner – they were patting my dachshund.”

“You can’t pick it … after seeing them together and that you wouldn’t think this could happen.”

Owen said the Friday night vigil had brought the community together, and suggested the council could name a park nearby in honour of Paterson and her infant daughter.

Less than two blocks away, officers were stationed on Belivah Road, near the still-active crime scene at Paterson’s home.

Police had attended the house after Paterson’s partner, Blake Seers, 39 – who was April’s father – was hit by a car a few blocks away, having already suffered an injury to his neck.

Officers traced drops of blood from the home towards the nearby Woolworths on the corner of Beenleigh Road and Bannockburn Road.

A black ute at the scene on Thursday had damage to the driver’s side mirror.

Seers remained in hospital on Friday morning, and is not yet facing charges, though police said the deaths were being investigated as suspicious.

Neighbours said they had provided to police CCTV that showed Seers headed towards the Woolworths, and officers have asked anyone with other footage or information to contact authorities.

The community had set up the impromptu gathering through a Facebook post, with comments online echoing Bailey’s desire to name a local park after Paterson and her daughter.

“In times like this, our community stands together. By sharing our grief, supporting one another, and coming together as one, we can begin to find strength and healing,” read the post.

Logan City Mayor Jon Raven said the council was prepared to honour the pair, but would need to speak to family first.

“There’s actually a brand new playground that’s being built right now, just in park on a corner that’s really highly visible, and it’s for the age group that April was, so it would be perfect for there to be a plaque there,” Raven said.

He said the council was supporting the community as needed, and said multiple domestic violence shelters were available in and around Logan.

“The big message is, though, reach out to your neighbours and check in on them,” he said.