Mosman Park Tragedy: Family of Four Found Dead in Suspected Murder-Suicide
A quiet cul-de-sac in Mosman Park has become the scene of an unimaginable tragedy, with a family of four found dead inside their home in what police are treating as a suspected murder-suicide.
A Foreboding Discovery
The horrific scene was discovered on Friday morning after a person attending a pre-arranged appointment at the Mott Close home found a note on the front door warning visitors not to enter and to call police instead. Officers responded to the alert at approximately 8:15am and made the devastating discovery inside.
All four members of the Clune family were found deceased in different parts of the house. The family included father Jarrod Clune, 50, mother Maiwenna Clune, 49, and their two sons Leon, 16, and Otis, 14. The family's two dogs and one cat were also found dead, with police indicating their deaths appeared to have been non-violent.
A Family Facing Challenges
Police have revealed that both teenagers were autistic and had significant health challenges. Neighbors reported regularly seeing carers visiting the family home, indicating the level of support required. The family had lived at the property for nearly a decade and were described as much-loved within their community.
Detective Acting Inspector Jessica Securo described the scene as highly distressing for all involved, noting that officers were understandably in shock after being confronted with such a tragic incident. There was no weapon used during this incident, and police confirmed the family had no reported history of family violence matters.
Community in Mourning
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the Mosman Park community and beyond. Neighbor Henry Oloworaran, who lives less than 100 metres from the Clune home, called on authorities to investigate whether the family received adequate support. If people are driven to kill themselves, then something is missing, he told reporters.
Another neighbor, who wished to remain anonymous, described the brothers as both non-verbal and noted their love of swimming in the family pool. The suburb has been described as one of Perth's friendliest, where neighbors typically help each other out.
School Community Affected
At least one of the boys attended the Peter Moyes Centre at Christ Church Grammar School, a prestigious private boys' school in Perth. The centre provides a secure and caring learning environment for boys with a range of learning challenges.
Principal Alan Jones sent an email to all parents on Friday afternoon acknowledging the tragedy but stating the school would not be releasing a statement out of respect for the families and to allow the police investigation to take its course.
Historical Advocacy for Support Services
Maiwenna Clune, who was born in France and known to friends as Mai, had previously been involved in advocacy for autism support services. In 2015, she was among a group of parents featured in The West Australian calling for funding support to keep open an East Fremantle clinic that provided intensive therapy services to autistic children.
Social media posts from both parents showed their boys were very much the centre of their worlds, with photos depicting typical family activities including birthday parties, beach outings, and swimming pool fun. A person who knew the family posted online about sharing a bond of having children with severe disabilities and noted there was a lot going on in their lives.
Police Investigation Underway
Homicide Squad detectives are working to determine the sequence of events, including whether the children were killed before the parents took their own lives. Detective Acting Inspector Securo emphasized that the investigation would take time as police work to understand the full circumstances surrounding this tragic incident.
Five ambulance crews were called to the scene at 8:29am, though paramedics were not required to treat anyone. Police have urged members of the public to stay away from the area as their investigation continues, with several local roads closed during the day.
Political and Community Response
Police Minister Reece Whitby described the incident as devastating and tragic and thanked WA Police, paramedics, and all first responders for their actions in dealing with extremely confronting circumstances. Local Federal MP Kate Chaney noted that this heartbreaking loss of four lives will have lasting effects throughout our community.
WA Police have deployed health and welfare resources and the police chaplain to provide support to officers involved in the incident. Detective Acting Inspector Securo encouraged anyone affected by the news to reach out to support services.
Mental Health Support Available
Lifeline WA Chief Executive Officer Lorna MacGregor said the news would be confronting for many people across Western Australia. This is an incredibly sad and shocking situation, she stated, and events like this can have a profound emotional impact well beyond those who knew the family personally.
Ms MacGregor emphasized that people do not need to be in immediate crisis to reach out for support and encouraged anyone feeling distressed or overwhelmed to contact Lifeline or other mental health services.
The investigation continues as police work to piece together what led to this devastating family tragedy in one of Perth's most peaceful suburbs.
