A South Australian mother, identified as 36-year-old Helena Wright, visited a police station the day before she is suspected of killing her two young children in an alleged murder-suicide. The bodies of Wright and her 23-month-old daughter were discovered in the ocean near Port MacDonnell on Monday, July 27. An abandoned vehicle, still running, was found nearby.
Authorities have ceased the search for Wright's three-month-old son. Police stated that based on expert advice and prevailing conditions, the infant could not have survived the time elapsed. "The reality is after three days … the chances of finding the baby alive are zero, sadly," Superintendent Trent Cox said. "It’s a retrieval effort, but we don’t know where he is."
Police confirmed that Wright attended the Mount Gambier Police Station on Sunday, July 26. The following morning, officers conducted a welfare check at Wright's home after receiving a call from a friend, but no one was present. Later that day, at 11:13 a.m., members of the public reported Wright's car at Cape Northumberland.
The South Australia Police stated that as the matter is under a coronial investigation, they will provide all relevant information to the coroner and cannot comment further. Police do not believe anyone else was involved in the incident.
Neighbors described Wright as private but friendly, noting she was a stay-at-home mother who enjoyed gardening and making children's clothes. Some neighbors indicated that those close to Wright had recognized she was struggling with her mental health, although they also described her as a "great mother" whom they never heard raise her voice.
Wright, originally from Estonia, was reportedly religious and attended church weekly. The father of the children and Wright's husband has been informed of the tragedy. Police and support services are offering counseling to the community, acknowledging the profound impact of the deaths.