Davidson deaths: Was it all too much for tragic parents?
NEIGHBOURS today detailed how the demands of raising two children with autism may have taken a deadly toll on devoted parents Maria Lutz and husband Fernando Manrique.
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TRIPS to the zoo, a cherished puppy and birthday celebrations were the hallmarks of Maria Lutz’s life with her beloved children Elisa, 11, and Martin, 10.
But some believe the demands of raising two intellectually disabled children may have become too much for Ms Lutz — a dedicated volunteer and fundraiser — and her husband Fernando Manrique, whose children’s severe autism meant they were unable to speak.
The children were found dead in their Davidson home yesterday along with their mother, 43, and father, 44. The family’s pet dog was also found dead nearby.
It was revealed today the family were believed to have been deliberately gassed to death with a poison that was released from numerous gas bottles found throughout the house.
Ms Lutz was found in one room with one of her children and her other child found alone in a separate room.
Mr Manrique’s body was found in another room in the house.
Police have not yet found a note.
“There was a lot of pre-planning that went into this,’’ a police source said.
One by one, heartbroken friends today laid flowers outside the home and shed tears for “the innocent children” whose lives were stolen far too soon.
Neighbour Brooke Topschij said today: “It breaks my heart to think of how much pain the family was going through.”
Another neighbour, Ofik Thomassian, 72, said she spoke to Fernando regularly and watched him working on the house with power tools just two days before his death.
“He was very friendly and she was very protective of those children,” she said.
“She (Ms Lutz) would lead them one at a time into the car, lock the door, and return to the house for the next child.
“She looked after them but I have to say she never looked happy.
“She always had a very serious look on her face. Thinking back now, she looked like she was in pain. She probably had been for a very long time.”
Other neighbours revealed Mrs Lutz would spend sleepless nights caring for Elisa and Martin, trying desperately to meet her children’s needs among appointments at occupational and art therapists.
Neighbour Sonja Perry said Ms Lutz had spoken of how they often struggled with their children’s severe conditions.
“Maria used to tell me how hard it was on her and her husband,” she said.
“She said it was a heavy thing on her heart and some days she found it impossible to cope.”
Ms Lutz revealed via Facebook her “worst nightmare” was her children going missing, as can frequently happen with autistic youngsters prone to wandering away from family.
She once used the social media site to seek out her son’s favourite biscuits, Oreos, when they were in short supply because she needed to use them as rewards for him.
Elisa and Martin may have had limited speech but they expressed their love for their mum and she shared it with the world.
When Martin drew a colourful picture that read “I love you” she posted it straight to Facebook.
She even turned a parenting horror story into delight, marvelling at Martin’s drawing abilities after he took a pen to a chair cushion as a preschooler.
The scrawled picture was the first time Martin had drawn a face and Ms Lutz wryly mused about what Martin’s art therapist would make of the drawing and she promised to frame it.
Years later, a painting of two black birds against a stormy backdrop, published in Martin’s school newsletter at St Lucy’s Catholic School, would be one of the last traces of his abilities online before his death.
“Maria was someone who always was willing to help out no matter what the school was doing,” the school’s acting principal Warren Hopley said.
“The school has been in a state of shock today and everyone will need some time to process what has happened.”
Turning to Facebook on Autism Awareness Day, Ms Lutz implored those closest to her to celebrate her beloved son and daughter.
“People with autism have the needs and desires as you and me but just see life in a different way. They think freely. They also feel overwhelmed when they are in public so they might do things that are not the norm of our society. Today we celebrate their life and we try to educate our society to be caring and patient with those with autism,” she wrote.
Contact: lifeline on 13 11 14; Beyond blue 1300 22 4636
AUTISM: WHAT IS IT?
* Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are lifelong developmental disabilities characterised by marked difficulties in social interaction and communication, and restricted and repetitive interests and behaviours.
* The word ‘spectrum’ is used because the range and severity of the difficulties people with an ASD experience can vary widely. Aspergers Syndrome is part of the spectrum.
* About one in 100 Australians are on the autism spectrum - around 230,000 people. It is four times more common in boys than girls.
* There is no single known cause - and no cure, although early intervention in a person’s life can minimise the impact on their functioning.
* People with the condition can present with a mix of indicators, which might include inexplicable tantrums, unusual interests or attachments, unusual movements such as hand-flapping or toe-walking, extreme difficulty coping with change.
* They might be afraid of everyday sounds, find eye contact uncomfortable, respond to certain sounds but ignore a human voice and avoid social contact.
* The cliche of all people with autism being Rainman-type geniuses is not true but they can be exceptionally creative, able to solve complex problems and have outstanding memory for detail.
* Albert Einstein, Mozart, Stanley Kubrick and Andy Warhol are all thought to have lived with autism. Celebrities who have the condition include actors Daryl Hannah and Dan Akroyd, singer Susan Boyle, Courtney Love, musician Ladyhawke and American Idol singer James Durbin.
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