Authorities called off the formal search for Helena Wright’s missing 3-month-old son after determining he could not have survived
NEED TO KNOW
- Police said Helena Wright visited a South Australia police station one day before she and her 23-month-old daughter were found dead
- Authorities have now called off the formal search for Wright’s missing 3-month-old son after determining he could not have survived
- Investigators are treating the deaths as a suspected murder-suicide
Helena Wright allegedly visited a local police station one day before she and her 23-month-old daughter were found dead — and now, Australian authorities have officially called off a formal search for her missing infant son.
Police confirmed on Wednesday, July 29, that Wright, 36, visited the Mount Gambier Police Station on Sunday, July 26, where she “spoke with police,” The Guardian reported.
According to the outlet, per authorities, a friend contacted police the following morning, prompting officers to conduct a welfare check at Wright’s home around 9:30 a.m. on Monday, July 27, though no one was at the residence.
Less than two hours later, members of the public reported Wright’s abandoned vehicle near Cape Northumberland with its engine still running. Emergency responders later recovered the bodies of Wright and her 23-month-old daughter from the ocean below nearby cliffs, per the outlet.
Police, who announced Wednesday that they had ended the formal search for Wright’s missing 3-month-old son, said they are investigating the deaths as a suspected murder-suicide.
“Based on expert advice and available information, the infant couldn’t have survived the period of time that has elapsed, either in the water or on land,” South Australia Police said in a statement, according to The Guardian.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
Police added that difficult weather conditions had hampered search efforts, forcing emergency vessels to remain out of the water for much of Tuesday while limiting searches along the shoreline and clifftops.
“The reality is, after three days, the chances of finding the baby alive are zero,” Superintendent Trent Cox said during a press briefing, the outlet reported.
While the formal search has ended, police said they will continue coordinating shoreline monitoring and inspections over the coming days.
Police said they have spoken with Wright’s husband, the children’s father. Investigators have also said there is no information to suggest anyone else was involved in the incident.
The matter has been referred to the coroner, who will investigate the cause and circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Read the full article here
