The headline “THE TWO CHILDREN STARTED ARRIVING LATE FOR SCHOOL, THEN MISSED OUT COMPLETELY” has circulated in online commentary and some media discussions about the Mosman Park tragedy, drawing attention to potential shifts in Leon Clune’s and Otis Clune’s school attendance in the lead-up to January 30, 2026. A purported teacher or school insider reportedly noted that internal records documented the teenagers—aged 16 and 14—arriving late more frequently before progressing to at least three consecutive unexplained absences immediately prior to the incident. Crucially, these changes did not trigger an emergency report or welfare check from the school, raising retrospective questions about protocols for vulnerable students.
Leon and Otis, both diagnosed with severe autism and requiring high-level support, had historical ties to Christ Church Grammar School, a prestigious private boys’ institution in Perth’s western suburbs. Their father, Jarrod Clune, 50, was an alumnus (graduating around 1992, where he served as a prefect and played football). School newsletters and records from earlier years—shared in tributes via outlets like 7NEWS, PerthNow, and The West Australian—depict the brothers as cheerful participants in the Peter Moyes Centre, a specialist program for boys with learning and neurodevelopmental challenges. Descriptions include Otis as a “lovely member” of his class who managed morning routines independently, and Leon greeting teachers warmly. Earlier accolades, such as Otis receiving a “Building Young Men” award in 2019, highlight positive engagement during primary and early secondary years.
However, challenges intensified over time. Reports indicate Otis was expelled from Christ Church Grammar around two years prior (circa 2024) following a “spitting incident” deemed the “last straw,” with one anonymous school source claiming he was labeled a “monster” in communications to his mother. This expulsion, combined with escalating behaviors associated with severe autism, likely complicated ongoing enrollment. While it’s unclear if both boys remained formally enrolled at Christ Church at the time of their deaths—some accounts suggest they had transitioned or were no longer attending full-time—the family’s reliance on NDIS-funded carers for daily support implies significant home-based needs.
No mainstream Australian media (including ABC News, The Sydney Morning Herald, news.com.au, or WA Today) has confirmed specific details of recent attendance records, late arrivals, or unexplained absences triggering—or failing to trigger—mandatory reporting. Western Australian schools, particularly those with specialist programs, follow Department of Education guidelines requiring notification to authorities (such as the Department for Child Protection or police) for prolonged unexplained absences, especially involving vulnerable children. Factors like chronic sleep deprivation (the boys reportedly rarely slept through the night, often napping at school), behavioral escalations, and parental exhaustion from caregiving may have contributed to attendance disruptions without immediate external alarm.
The absence of an emergency response aligns with broader patterns in the case: no prior police family violence history, no welfare checks prompted by neighbors despite subtle signs like drawn curtains or reduced visibility, and no emergency calls from the family despite active phone devices for hours. A carer discovered the tragedy upon arriving for a scheduled visit, finding a door note instructing “don’t enter” and “call police.” Inside, officers located the bodies of Jarrod, Maiwenna Goasdoue (Mai), 49, Leon, Otis, and three pets in different areas, with a second internal note evidencing premeditation and shared parental intent.
This detail amplifies ongoing debates about systemic oversight. Disability advocates and friends argue the family was “failed” by NDIS processes—funding cuts, rejected respite requests, and bureaucratic hurdles leaving primary carers isolated and overwhelmed. Chronic exhaustion, as voiced by Mai in family confidences (“I can’t sleep anymore” and feeling “losing control”), compounded the strain. Schools play a frontline role in child protection, yet high-needs students with disabilities can fall through gaps if absences are attributed to known conditions rather than escalating crisis.
WA Premier Roger Cook labeled the deaths “unimaginable,” while Disability Minister Mark Butler called it an “unspeakable tragedy” without commenting on specific NDIS involvement due to privacy. The case has spurred calls for enhanced protocols: better mental health support for carers, mandatory welfare triggers for attendance drops in specialist programs, and proactive outreach for high-needs families.
Tributes continue to humanize Leon and Otis—loving, understood when given patience—via carer Maddie Page’s words and community vigils. The “what if” around missed school signals underscores how hidden despair can evade even structured systems until it’s too late.
Support helplines: Lifeline (13 11 14), Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636), and NDIS counseling for carers in crisis.
