Teenage boys Otis and Leon were found dead in their Mosman Park home last week. Photo / Facebook
Teenage boys Otis and Leon were found dead in their Mosman Park home last week. Photo / Facebook
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler has declined to comment on the nature of care given to a family killed in a suspected-murder suicide amid allegations the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) had “failed” them.
A carer who looked after the teenage boys, who are understood to have had autism, alerted police of the tragedy early that morning.
Goasdowe, who was known as Mai, described her sons as being at the higher end of the autism spectrum in support groups online.
Detective Inspector Jessica Securo previously said the teenagers had “significant health challenges” and the family had “engaged with care services” but declined to comment further.
Butler was on Tuesday asked for his thoughts on the case and whether it would influence future reforms to the country’s NDIS.
Friends claim the family were constantly battling for services to support the teenage boys, according to reports by 9News, before their funding was cut.
Butler called it “the most awful tragedy” and offered his condolences to all those connected 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,” Butler told reporters.
The boys’ parents, Maiwenna Goasdowe and Jarrod Clune, were also found dead in what’s believed to be a murder-suicide. Photo / Facebook
However, he declined to comment on the nature of NDIS care the family received because of the ongoing police investigation.
“I know there’s been a bit of commentary over in Western Australia about the NDIS packages that these children were on,” he said.
“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 co-operating 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.”
Mark Butler has declined to comment on NDIS care linked to a suspected family murder-suicide in Perth. Photo / Getty Images
An NDIA spokesperson said the organisation would work closely with authorities to support their investigations.
“We extend our deepest sympathies to the Clune Goasdowe’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.”
Police previously said it did not appear to be a “violent incident”, with no weapon appearing to have been used.
Two notes were found at the scene, with the first saying words to the effect of “don’t enter”, while the other detailed how the family wanted their finances to be arranged following their deaths, West Australian news outlets have reported.
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