A friend has shared the hidden struggles of the Perth family found dead in a suspected murder-suicide, describing them as “in the trenches trying to survive”.
Maiwenna ‘Mai’ Goasdoue, 49, and Jarrod Clune, 50, and their two teenage sons, Leon, 16, and Otis, 14, were found dead inside their Mosman Park home on Friday.
Both boys had severe autism – Otis was non-verbal – and were previously enrolled at the Peter Moyes Centre, the highly sought-after special needs centre at the prestigious Christ Church Grammar School. The brothers stopped attending the school in recent years, reportedly after one of them was asked to leave.
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A carer for Leon and Otis alerted police to the tragedy early on Friday morning, after finding a note on the home’s front door urging them to call authorities.
It’s understood that a second note found inside – which reportedly indicated the parents decided together to end their lives – led police to determine it a murder-suicide.
In the days since, support workers and friends have said they were “failed” by the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), and that Mai and Jarrod likely felt “they had no other choice”.
One family friend met Ms Goasdoue through Perth’s autism community, with the two supporting each other and “talked about our respective challenges” as full-time carers of children with “extreme behaviours”.
Maiwenna Goasdoue with one of her sons. Picture: Supplied/ABC
Jarrod Clune with one of his sons. Picture: Facebook
“You reach out to other people who are in similar situations … But the people who understand you best are in the least position to give you support,” the friend, who asked not to be named, told The Age.
“We’re all in the trenches trying to survive. And that tends to lead to increasing isolation.”
Detectives have said the family engaged with care workers, but declined to comment further.
The friend said there was “no doubt” the boys’ behaviour would have taken a toll.
“You’re talking about violence, meltdowns, vicious behaviour that could leave you with injuries,” they said.
“And these kids with these extreme behaviours are let down the most. There really isn’t support for families like ours. There’s nothing meaningful.”
Asked whether the case would influence future reforms to the NDIS, Federal Health Minister Mark Butler on Tuesday declined to comment on the nature of care given to the family.
“It’s an awful tragedy at so many different levels but particularly the loss of two children’s lives who obviously did not choose to die is an unspeakable tragedy,” Mr Butler told reporters.
Maiwenna and Jarrod Clune. Picture: Facebook
Otis and Leon both had severe autism. Picture: Facebook
“I know there’s been a bit of commentary over in Western Australia about the NDIS packages that these children were on. I want to be really clear. First of all, I don’t want to say anything that would impact the police investigation.
“I want to give people the confidence that the NDIA, the agency, is cooperating fully with the police to the extent that they have any useful inputs to the police investigation.
“I also want to be clear that there are very clear legal restrictions on our ability, my ability, the ability of the NDIA, to say anything about the packages that the children were on, so I’m not in a position to respond to some of the speculation that I’ve seen in Western Australian media.
“All I want to say is that this is just an awful tragedy, just an unspeakable tragedy for this family, but for the broader community, and I know the NDIA will do everything it can to assist the police in its inquiries.”
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler described the family’s deaths as ‘an unspeakable tragedy’. Picture: NewsWire/Martin Ollman
An NDIA spokesperson said the organisation would work closely with authorities to support their investigations.
“We extend our deepest sympathies to the Clune Goasdoue’s family, their loved ones and all those affected by this tragic loss,” the spokesperson said.
“This matter is currently under investigation by Western Australian authorities.
“The NDIA will work closely with the Western Australian authorities to support their inquiries or investigations.”
Jarrod with one of his sons. Picture: Supplied/ABC
Police at the family’s Mosman Park home. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper/The West Australian/POOL
A former support worker for Leon and Otis, Maddie Page, said that despite the “love and resilience” Mai and Jarrod showed to their sons “during times of extreme difficulty and countless obstacles”, the parents may have felt “they had no other choice”.
“The consistent dedication and deep love Mai and Jarrod showed for their boys, and the ways they never stopped fighting for them to feel seen and heard in this world will never be forgotten,” Ms Page said.
“May they rest in peace together as a family, NDIS – do better.”
Developmental Disability WA chief executive Mary Butterworth said the tragedy showed it was “fairly obvious” the family were not getting enough support.
More investment in extra training of staff and support would alleviate stress so families do not feel it is “all up to them to try and survive”, she said.
“The reality is, in Western Australia we do not have enough trained support workers who can provide support to families,” Ms Butterworth told the ABC.
“I feel sorry for the support providers; they do not have enough funding in their plans that allows for them to provide deep and thorough training and mentoring to their staff.”
