In the quiet, leafy enclave of Mosman Park, a profound tragedy has unfolded, shattering the serenity of one of Perth’s most affluent suburbs and sparking a fierce national conversation about the hidden burdens placed on unpaid carers. The community has been left reeling following the discovery of the Clune family—Maiwenna, her partner Jarrod, and their two teenage sons, Leon and Otis—inside their family home. While the police investigation is ongoing, those who knew the family best are directing their grief and anger not at the parents, but at a support system they say abandoned a loving family in their hour of greatest need.
The heartbreaking discovery was made on a Friday morning by a support worker arriving for a scheduled visit. In a final act of consideration characteristic of the couple, a note was left at the entrance, warning the visitor not to enter and instructing them to contact emergency services. Inside, authorities found the family, along with their beloved pets, at peace. While the circumstances are undeniably tragic, friends and advocates are refusing to let the narrative end there, insisting that this was not a senseless act of malice, but a desperate response to a situation that had become untenable.
At the center of this sorrowful tale is the family’s struggle with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Both teenage boys lived with severe autism and were non-verbal, requiring round-the-clock care. Friends describe Maiwenna and Jarrod as fierce, loving advocates who moved mountains to ensure their sons had the best quality of life. However, behind closed doors, the reality was a grinding cycle of sleep deprivation, isolation, and bureaucratic battles.
Close associates have spoken out, revealing that the couple felt “completely trapped” by a system designed to help them. One friend, Nedra, shared the heartbreaking insight that the family felt abandoned by almost every facet of society—from support services to the education system. “No one can understand the endless fight to get the support and services they so desperately needed,” she noted, highlighting the exhaustion that comes from years of advocacy falling on deaf ears. The fear that their children might be mistreated in respite care meant the parents rarely took a break, compounding their isolation.
Maddie Page, an autism mentor who worked with the boys, paid a moving tribute, noting that the system had failed two young men who taught her that “communication is so much more than words.” Her sentiment reflects a growing frustration among disability advocates: that the administrative hurdles of the NDIS are pushing families to the breaking point.
This tragedy serves as a grim reminder that financial affluence does not immunize families against the crushing weight of systemic failure. As floral tributes accumulate on the corner of their quiet street, the message from the community is clear: this family did not just slip through the cracks; the ground beneath them was allowed to crumble. The Clune family’s story is a stark call to action for a complete overhaul of how we support our most vulnerable, ensuring that no other parent feels that their only exit is a final, irreversible goodbye.