The note found at the site of a fatal car crash that claimed the lives of a mother and four of her children has prompted the Queensland state coroner to investigate the incident as a possible murder-suicide, reports said.
The incident happened on May 14, 2019, as 35-year-old Charmaine Mcleod was driving her station wagon along the Bunya Highway near Kumbia.
The back of the car was occupied by her four children, Aaleyn, 6; Matilda, 5; Wyatt, 4; and Zaidok 2. As Ms. Mcleod tried to overtake a vehicle, her car collided with another truck.
She and four of her kids died at the scene.
An inquest regarding the incident has started. The court will hear evidence about the crash over the next couple of weeks.
Kylie Hillard, the counsel assisting the coroner, said that the police found a pink purse near the wreckage.
In the note, Mcleod wrote about her inability to cope and her concern for her kids.
According to Ms. Hillard, Mcleod had a history of mental health issues. She had also reportedly filed numerous complaints about her kids being abused.
She stated that Mcleod had a mental illness, and her diagnosis and medication had changed
. Hillard also noted that Mcleod had reportedly been experiencing hallucinations and commands to kill herself. The inquest will look into her domestic violence allegations.
An employee of a women’s refuge claimed that Mcleod had accused Mr. Mcleod of abusing her.
The inquest was told that investigations revealed that prior to the fatal crash, Mcleod tried to overtake a truck and then collided with another vehicle.
Senior Constable Christopher Indley of the police stated that the crash was not caused due to speed.
The two vehicles were traveling at a speed of around 100 kilometers per hour.