Nine-year-old Ben and his older brother Russell, aged 11, were found dead by their father at a home in Faulconbridge yesterday afternoon.
Police arrived and arrested their 42-year-old mother, Trish Smith, before she was taken to hospital with injuries they said could be self-inflicted.
Investigators will allege she was responsible for the deaths, however, no charges have been laid.
She remains in hospital under police guard.
Online, Smith appears like a regular Blue Mountains local, with police saying there were no obvious red flags.
She had previously appeared on an online podcast about urban agriculture and had also blogged about its impact on her mental health.
“I feel really grateful that I have access to education and support to understand my mental health better,” she wrote.
She has also recently turned their family home into a farm.
While police are still trying to piece together a motiviation, the local community is grieving the loss of the brothers.
Flowers were laid outside Our Lady of the Nativity school, where the boys attended.
Students there have been offered support and counciling.
Ben had recently won an award in computer studies, while Russell had represented the school in track and field.
A friend of Smith told 9News today that she was “in disbelief”.
“I never in my wildest dreams thought Trish would hurt anyone,” she said.
“She always had a nice smile.”
Premier Chris Minns and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese both addressed the tragedy while speaking to the media today.
“I want to assure [the boys’ father] that the people of NSW are behind him today as his life is turned upside down,” Minns said.
“It’s a horrible, distressing event.”
“This is devastating and frankly and hard to comprehend such a tragedy,” Albanese said.
