A 23-year-old woman is behind bars charged with murder after allegedly fatally stabbing her 51-year-old father in the Hunter.
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In an incident police said they were treating as an alleged "domestic violence murder", the woman - Maddison Hickson - is accused of twice stabbing her father, Michael John Carroll, at a house in Ronald Street on Saturday evening.
Emergency services were sent to the suburban home shortly after 7pm after receiving a call concerning the man's welfare.
"When police and services attended, they found a 51-year-old man who was suffering from two stab wounds to his upper torso, and despite the attention provided, and assistance provided, he died at the scene," Port Stephens-Hunter Police District duty officer Detective Inspector Ranald Urquhart said on Sunday.
"At this stage, we don't know what has led to the incident."
Detective Inspector Urquhart said the woman was not at the scene when police first attended, but arrived shortly after. She was arrested and taken to Maitland Police Station, where she was charged with murder.
Detective Inspector Urquhart said the woman had provided assistance to investigators.
She did not appear in Newcastle Bail Court on Sunday, where bail was formally refused.
Ms Hickson is due to appear in Maitland Local Court on January 20 via audio-visual link.
The Ronald Street property remained a crime scene on Sunday with police combing the area.
Detectives have commenced an investigation under Strike Force Creekborough.
Detective Inspector Urquhart said on Sunday afternoon a weapon was yet to be found.
He said the man's injuries were believed to have occurred inside the home and there were "other persons" who had been at the property at the time of the incident "who were assisting police".
He said Mr Carroll was known to police.
Detective Inspector Urquhart urged members of the public with information about the incident to come forward.
"We will be conducting ongoing canvassing in the area looking for any information that people might be able to provide in terms of what they've seen, any CCTV footage or mobile phone footage that anybody might have," he said.