What Helena Wright's husband Brad told family about her postnatal depression at his grandmother's funeral weeks before she leapt off a cliff with their two babies

By KARLEIGH SMITH - SENIOR REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 14:30, 15 August 2026 | Updated: 14:30, 15 August 2026 A young mother who jumped from a South Australian clifftop with her two children had been suffering from postnatal depression - a condition her husband had openly discussed with family members in the weeks leading up to her death. Helena Wright, from Mt Gambier, died by suicide on 27 July after leaping from the coast with her 23-month-old daughter, Hazel, and three-month-old son, Lewis. She was turned away from Mt Gambier police station the day before her death.  Ms Wright and Hazel's bodies were retrieved by local fishermen that day, and on Wednesday police formally called off the search for Lewis' missing remains. The tragedy is being treated as a murder-suicide, and is subject to a coronial investigation.  The Daily Mail can now reveal that Ms Wright's husband Brad had been sharing his worries about Helena's mental health at his grandmother's funeral in Mt Gambier, in the state's south-east, in June - just weeks before he lost his wife and two children. 'Brad told me Helena had been struggling a bit with postnatal depression, and was quite open about it,' said a relative, who asked not to be named. 'He said it would come and go, but he thought she was getting through it... but obviously not.  A newly uncovered picture shows Helena and Brad at a birthday party in 2024 Hazel's body was found in the waters below Cape Northumberland; Lewis' remains missing 'They were quite open about it, it didn't seem like they were hiding behind anything.' At the time, Estonian-born Ms Wright had only recently given birth to Lewis, but the relative said she had also suffered from the condition in the months after welcoming her first child, Hazel, in 2024. According to Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia, one in seven Australian women are affected by the condition during the first year after giving birth. Symptoms include low mood, changes in sleep and appetite, and feelings of hopelessness. Migraines are also common due to hormonal changes, sleep deprivation and stress. The Daily Mail has previously reported Ms Wright had confided that she was suffering from debilitating migraines and exhaustion in the wake of Lewis' birth. The relative said, 'When I spoke to her she seemed happy. But Helena didn't have her family here, so things must have been hard... not being able to call your mum for help. 'I spent about 15 minutes with Hazel and she was cute. A happy kid.' The cape, near Port MacDonnell, is known for its perilous rocks and heavy surf The Wrights, who were deeply religious, married at Mt Gambier Presbyterian Church It is understood Ms Wright's Estonian family will travel to Mt Gambier for her, Hazel and Lewis' funerals once the two retrieved bodies have been released by the coroner.  The confirmation of Ms Wright's mental-health condition may shed light on why she attended the Mt Gambier police station on the day before her death, but was reportedly told to leave and come back the following day. 'I know they struggle with staffing at the cop shop, there's usually only one officer on,' the relative said.  South Australian police, who confirmed she attended the station on July 26, are under fire to explain why she was allowed to leave.   SAPOL chief commissioner Grant Stevens on Friday told the ABC that he could not 'disclose the content of that interaction', but confirmed Ms Wright 'was spoken to by a police officer'. The following morning, police attended Mr and Ms Wright's home in Compton, on the outskirts of Mt Gambier, in response to a call for a welfare check from a friend at 9.28am.  They found the home empty and, at 11.15am, responding to a report made to police, located her Isuzu SUV parked with the engine running at Cape Northumberland, around 30 minutes' drive away. It's understood that Mr Wright, who is an electrician, was at work at the time.  Helena and Brad are pictured on their wedding day  SAPOL chief Grant Stevens revealed Helena had spoken to a police officer before she died In a statement to the Daily Mail on Wednesday, a SAPOL spokesperson confirmed that a 'review of police actions is underway following the incident and that police are preparing a mandatory report for the Coroner'.  'There are two concurrent processes: an internal police review of SAPOL's response and the coronial investigation into the causes and circumstances of the deaths.' When asked whether there were any other interactions between Ms Wright and police, the commissioner said he could not 'elaborate any further'.  Mr Wright's relative confirmed previous reporting that funeral plans for his wife, daughter and son remained up in the air, and they were especially struggling with the fact that there are so far no remains of Lewis to bury. It's understood Mr Wright remains in the care of his family, while his mother, Karen, is devastated after recently losing her mother, Marion, 94, as well as her two grandchildren. 'She is very, very upset. It's tough. Karen is a nice lady, and she's had a rough trot,' a source said. As has been previously reported, Mr and Ms Wright were devout Christians, and had 'church-hopped' their way around Mt Gambier after marrying within the local Presbyterian congregation in 2023. At the time of her death, it's understood the couple were involved with a 'home church', after finding organised religion too 'authoritarian'. The Wrights enjoyed joining Brad's Aussie family on camping trips in rural Victoria The couple were interested in sustainable living, with the young mum making her kids' clothes A friend who started a crowdfund to raise money for the funerals described the tragedy as Helena 'stepping from a cliff into the arms of her Lord and saviour'. Mr Wright was known to sign off friendly messages with the words, 'God bless you, mate'. The couple were also focused on sustainable living, with Helena making her children's clothes, and Brad designing and establishing a permaculture herb and vegetable garden at their Compton home. A friend said their self-sufficient lifestyle was linked to their Christianity. 'They were both pretty old-school about their religion,' the source said. 'Brad's family is not religious, and he never was before Helena, but when he met her he went into it.  'It didn't seem the sort of thing Brad would like, but he seemed happy enough.'  Before the couple married, Mr Wright was known around Mt Gambier for his BMX trail-riding skills and playing in a local band. After meeting Ms Wright, who was close with his parents and sister, joining them on family camping trips, he became a 'tremendous father and husband'.  If you or someone you know needs support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.