A couple in Perth, Western Australia, killed their two autistic teenage sons and themselves in a murder-suicide pact, leaving notes that revealed their desperation. Jarrod Clune, 50, and Maiwenna Goasdoue, 49, were found dead alongside their sons Leon, 16, and Otis, 14, at their home on 30 January. Police discovered a note warning a care worker not to enter and another note the following day that supported the theory of a pact instigated by the parents.
Friends and educators have described the family's struggle, saying they felt 'isolated, unsupported and abandoned' by the system. The boys had 'significant health challenges' and reportedly lost government funding for one child. Maiwenna, known as Mai, had joined Facebook support groups where she described her sons as having 'severe' autism. A close friend said Mai refused respite care for fear of mistreatment, and the couple suffered from chronic sleep deprivation due to the boys' insomnia.
An anonymous friend called the couple 'strong' but said they were 'fighting a losing battle against a system which is not here to assist'. The friend stressed this was not a domestic violence case but a tragedy born of isolation and fear for their children's future. An educator who taught one of the boys said they were 'kind-hearted boys who just needed to be understood', adding that Leon was due to graduate from school the following year.
The boys loved Disney films, with Otis, who was non-verbal, carrying Nemo and Dory soft toys for comfort. The educator claimed Otis had been expelled from a previous school after a spitting incident and that someone called him a 'monster' to his mother. Both boys were attending a special needs school at the time of their deaths. Autism mentor Maddie Page said the family had been 'failed' by Australia's National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
