Residents of a South Australian coastal town are grieving after a double murder-suicide claimed the lives of Helena Wright, 36, and her two children. Wright and her 23-month-old daughter were found deceased in waters off Cape Northumberland near Port MacDonnell on Monday, July 28th, 2026. The search for her three-month-old son was called off by South Australian Police on Wednesday, July 30th, after receiving advice that the infant could not have survived.

Police confirmed that Wright had attended a local police station on Sunday, July 27th, and officers conducted a welfare check at her home in Compton, near Mount Gambier, on Monday morning following a call from a friend. Wright's vehicle was later found running near the cliffs at Cape Northumberland.

Volunteers from the regional community, including the State Emergency Service (SES) and local police, conducted extensive search efforts despite challenging weather conditions. SES representative Mr. Fensom stated, "The locals, let alone the SES and the police, did their absolute best to locate them on the first day, which obviously you know resulted in two people being found and not the third."

The Mount Gambier Toy Library, where Wright was a volunteer committee member, issued a statement expressing deep sadness over the loss. "Mt Gambier Toy Library is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of a member of our committee and her children. Our thoughts are with their family, friends and everyone affected by this devastating event," the statement read. It added, "Our volunteer committee and toy library community are grieving and supporting one another."

Emergency services volunteer Roger Bobolka noted the impact of the tragedy extends beyond those directly involved in the search, emphasizing the importance of community support during this difficult time.

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