Mum who drowned with her two children followed controversial medical medium’s teachings

The mother who drowned with her two children in a Sydney river at the weekend had tried to treat her bipolar disorder with a diet spruiked by a self-described celebrity “medical medium”.

The bodies of Mitchell Nguyen, 7, and Hazel Nguyen, 5, and their mother, Hoai Doan, 32, were recovered from the Georges River at Lansvale in Sydney’s southwest on Saturday in what was originally believed to be a tragic drowning.

Police confirmed to news.com.au they are now investigating whether their triple-drowning was the result of a murder-suicide.

The children’s father and Ms Doan’s husband, Dinh Nguyen, told The Sydney Morning Herald on Monday that his wife suffered from bipolar disorder.

“She has some ups and some downs. She takes medicine. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t,” Mr Nguyen said, adding that Ms Doan had been in good spirits in the days preceding the tragedy.

According to a Daily Mail Australia report on Tuesday, Ms Doan had documented her efforts to fix her mental health – which appeared to be influenced by tips in Anthony William’s book, Brain Saver.

William, a self-billed clairvoyant, does not hold a medical degree. Instead, he maintains his medical expertise was granted to him by a “spirit” when he was four years old – a connection that William claims allows him to see into the body like a “supercharged MRI scan” to diagnose “all blockages, infections, trouble areas, past problems, and even soul fractures”.

He has garnered a celebrity fanbase in the likes of Naomi Campbell, Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert De Niro. Doctors and other medical experts have repeatedly warned against his teachings, which are not backed by science.

In Brain Saver, William promises to provide readers with “answers to brain inflammation, mental health, OCD, brain fog, neurological symptoms, addiction, anxiety, heavy metals, seizures, lyme, ADHD, Alzheimers, auto-immune and eating disorders”.

Hoai, who in her posts shared that she had been hospitalised on multiple occasions, wrote that she discovered William’s book during her fourth stay.

“(Anthony William) is the only person who says neurological illness is caused by silent metal in the brain,” one post read, per the Daily Mail.

“(His books) give answers to the serious disease of the world. He was the first to look at the sick, and said that it is not the fault of the sick but the external influences.”

Based on William’s advice in Brain Power, Ms Doan said she began drinking honey lemonade and “heavy metal detox smoothies (HMDS)” to improve her condition.

She also wrote of moving back to Vietnam due to its quantity of fresh produce.

“Even though Vietnam is not as good as Australia, after 3 years of treatment, I only see them giving me medicine and extracting the medicine,” Ms Doan said.

“If I don’t go, the police will come to my house to escort me.

“I have lived with medicine enough, even though everything is free, I choose freedom, happiness and eating according to (William).

“Must use HMDS 1 type of smoothie with 5 types of herbs to detox heavy metals and drink honey lemonade, squeezed juice.”

Responding to a comment under one post from a relative urging her not to give up, Ms Doan replied: “God doesn’t let me die easily.”

On Monday, Mr Nguyen told The Herald police had not discussed the murder-suicide theory with him.
He said that his wife, who did not work, would often accompany him to his job as a handyman but did not do so on Saturday.

“She told me the last night she didn’t sleep so she wanted to stay at home,” Mr Nguyen said.

He only learned of the deaths once he came home from work and police arrived at his door.

The tragic incident unfolded at 10.15am when emergency services were called to a boat ramp in Shearer Park following reports a woman and two children were seen in the water in distress.

“Members of the public attempted to assist the woman and children until emergency services arrived,” police said in a statement.

Ms Doan was pulled from the water but unable to be revived. A short time later the bodies of her two children were recovered.

NSW Police Acting Superintendent Luke Scott described the tragedy as “beyond words”.

A GoFundMe has been set up by family friend Sarah Vu to raise money for Mr Nguyen and the couple’s only surviving child, a one-year-old boy called Macario who lives with his grandparents in Vietnam.

“I am reaching out to you during a time of unimaginable sorrow. We hope to raise funds to aid the funeral and to assist the father to look after young Macario in this time of grief,” the campaign, which has raised almost $60,000, states.

“Every contribution, no matter how small, will make a significant difference.”

Ms Vu confirmed the bodies of Ms Doan and her children would be sent back to Vietnam.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Fairfield Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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