Nepali grandmother Bishnu Kumari Gurung, also popular as “Himali aunty”, was sleeping in her daughter’s Riverdale home in inner-east Perth when a car allegedly crashed into the house, killing her.
According to the WA Police, 53-year-old Gurung died at the scene after the car ploughed into the house around 11:40 pm on Friday, 6 February 2026.
Police allege the vehicle was travelling in a north-easterly direction on Alexander Road when it left the roadway and crashed into the house.
Rhyse Robert Hawkins, the 36-year-old alleged driver of the yellow Ford Falcon sedan, has been charged with one count of unlawfully killing another under such circumstances as not to constitute murder and one count of criminal damage or destruction of property.
The charges were laid at the Northbridge Magistrates Court on Sunday, 8 February, where he appeared after being denied bail.
Hawkins has been remanded in custody to appear in Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court via video link on 18 February for a bail application.
Both Hawkins and his 43-year-old male passenger sustained no injuries.
“We want justice for our aunty”
Srijana Gurung, a relative, says the grandmother frequently travelled from Nepal to visit her daughter’s family in Perth.
“She was a strong, independent and helpful woman...she had a very jolly personality. Everyone in the community knew her. She used to laugh, dance and was very extroverted. The sad thing is, she had arrived on Tuesday and the incident happened on Friday,” Gurung told SBS Nepali.
We just want justice for our aunty and her family. At the moment, they don't have [a] place to live. So we are trying our best to find a better place for them.Srijana Gurung, Relative of Bishnu Kumari Gurung
Gurung says a fundraiser has been organised and Nepali community organisations, including Gurung Samaj of Western Australia (GSWA), the Nepali Association of Western Australia (NAWA) and the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA), are also assisting.
Prakash Gurung is the Acting Secretary of GSWA and a registered migrated agent.
He says the family is eagerly awaiting the arrival of Himali Aunty’s son and daughter-in-law soon.
“The son’s visa has been approved, but his partner’s has not. So we have reapplied and are in contact with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), requesting it on compelling compassionate grounds,” he told SBS Nepali earlier.
“That’s the wish of the family members - that all of them be together at this difficult time.”
Update: Mr Gurung told SBS Nepali late last night [AEDT] that the DHA contacted them on Thursday and the daughter-in-law's visa application has been approved.
SBS Nepali had earlier reached out to the DHA for comments and is awaiting their response at the time of this publication.
