A friend of the family that were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide in Mosman Park say the children’s National Disability Insurance Scheme funding had recently been cut.
The bodies of father Jarrod Clune, mother Maiwenna Goasdoue and their two teenage sons Leon and Otis were found at the Mott Close property on Friday morning.
In a statement to 9News Perth, a friend of the family, who asked to remain anonymous, revealed the couple were desperate for help after their NDIS funding had been cut.
“The very people the NDIS was created for are the very ones who can’t get the services they so desperately need,” the statement read.
“The constant battle for services to help with their very high support needs boys was exhausting, never-ending and filled with rejection.”
“When the family looked for help, they were always rejected and told their boys were too difficult.”
The statement added that suggestions the family chose not to pursue these services are not true.
“T’m devastated that they reached this point but no one can understand the strain, isolation and desperation they felt.” the statement continued.
The NDIS has been contacted for comment.
Police said the alarm was first raised by a carer who went to the house just after 8am for a scheduled appointment, allegedly finding a note on the front door warning them not to enter and to phone police.
Police officers found the bodies of the parents at the rear of the property and the two teenage boys in another part of the house.
Two dogs and a cat were also found deceased.
State opposition leader Basil Zempilas, who is also the member for neighbouring electorate Churchlands, said it was a very difficult set of circumstances for the community to process.
“There’s a real sense of sadness in the area about what’s taken place,” he said.
“We would hope that as horrific as this has been, that other families who might be experiencing similar anguish and difficulties can find some answers out of this.
“Clearly, if there is pain in your life and if there is this sort of struggle, please know that there are people in our community that you can reach out to.
“And I hope the one positive that might come out of this horrible, terrible tragedy is that the way to connect with those services and that help might become clearer and might become easier for families who might be experiencing these sorts of difficulties.”
While the first note found by police is alleged to be brief and a warning, this masthead understands a second note inside the property was structured as a “letter” that allowed police to make the determination the case was likely a murder-suicide.
It is understood the second note contained details indicating a level of planning behind the act – going so far as to detail how the family wished their finances to be arranged following their deaths.
It is alleged to contain details regarding the mindset of the family prior to their deaths, and appeared to show the parents jointly decided to end their lives.
Detective Sergeant Jessica Securo told the media on Friday the family had accessed care providers in the past.
However, it is understood both Jarrod and Maiwenna were primary carers of the boys, and were under significant pressure and suffering from exhaustion at the time of their deaths.
Western Australian police confirmed the existence of the second note, but said they would not be providing details about what it said.
