Jobless Father Slashes Teens' Throats During Christmas Visit, Takes Own Life

An unemployed man brutally killed his two teen children by slashing their throats and took his own life following a row with his estranged wife over child support.

The horrific incident took place in Trebaseleghe in the Italian region of Veneto. Alessandro Pontin, a 49-year-old carpenter turned holistic expert, attacked his children Francesca and Pietro, aged 15 and 13, with a kitchen knife when they were visiting their father for Christmas. He turned the knife on himself after.

According to a report by 7News, the police initially believed that the children had been asleep during the attack. However, with the help of the trails of blood found splattered around several items at home, it was determined that the victims had been fully aware of what was going on and even tried to flee Pontin's violent rampage.

The dead bodies were first discovered by Pontin's brother who later revealed that his brother was having a hard time finding a stable job. He also shared that Pontin had tried to transform himself from being a carpenter to being a foot masseur then a holistic and Zen motivational expert.

The children had been living with their 47-year-old mother, Roberta Calzarotto, since their parents' separation. The children's uncle, Claudio Calzarotto, said that the couple had been "constantly arguing" over monthly child support payments for both children.

Roberta, a healthcare professional, found it difficult to raise her two children on her salary. The situation took a turn for the worse when Calzarotto asked Pontin to increase the payment.

Roberta went into shock when she was given the news of her children's death and was reportedly being treated at a hospital.

Aldo Calzzarotto, the children's grandfather, was also devastated. "I used to pick them up from school every day because my daughter works. They used to eat with me and my wife. How can we live without them?" He said.

He also shared that his daughter had often warned that her ex-husband was a dangerous person. However, nothing was done about his behavior until it was too late.