(Transcript from World News Radio)
Victorian police are investigating how a car driven by a woman from Sudan veered into a lake in suburban Melbourne, killing three young children.
The 35-year-old mother of seven apparently drove over a footpath, through shrubbery and into the lake in the south-western suburb of Wyndham Vale.
A one year old boy and four year old twins died in the incident, and a fourth child, a five year old girl is recovering in hospital after suffering critical injuries.
Sacha Payne has more.
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Members of the Sudanese community say Akon Guode's first husband died in Sudan.
Her current husband, Joseph Manyang, is the father of the four children who were in the car that drove off Manor Lakes Boulevard into the lake last yesterday.
He says he does not believe his wife drove the car into the lake on purpose.
"My message to the community because there is a lot of talking around, there is untruths, what I can tell them is they have to wait for the report from the police investiagation, that will be the truth. Nothing in there, she didn't feel anything I didn't feel anything, I didn't see anything happen to her. What I can say to them, she can't do that, what I believe she can't do that by herself because she love the kids. All the kids, she take care of the kids, she spent her time, always these kids. That's what I can tell them."
He is devastated by the loss.
"This is a big loss because always they are happy, especially the twins, because the twins are special to me, but the third one, Bol, is still shy, is one year and a half, always we play together, that's what has happened, but it is a big shock for me to get this information. It has happened to me, to lose three children at once. "
The Major Collisions Unit will examine the vehicle as part of investigations to find out whether the fatal smash was an accident.
Superintendent Stuart Bateson says police need more information.
And he has assured family members that police will respect cultural sensitivities.
"We need to understand what lead to this, we need to understand the background of the family and we need to understand what was happening in their lives and we certainly need to understand what their movements were yesterday."
The close-knit Sudanese community is in deep shock and mourning.
Superintendent Stuart Bateson has implored the community to help.
"I just want to implore especially the Sudanese community, if you have information that will help us understand what was happening in this family's lives prior to this incident, please contact Crimestoppers."
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says it is a horrible tragedy.
"Our thoughts and our prayers and our best wishes, our hearts go out to the family involved. To all of those who loved those three little kids and I've got to say as well, I'm really proud that local residents and jumped into try and save those kids, I think that's something we should all be really really proud of."
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