In July 2016, father-of-two, Srinivas, was walking back to his office after lunch with colleagues when he saw emergency service vehicles at Bourke Street in Melbourne and heard that a mother and child had fallen.
He called his wife who did not answer her phone. He rushed to his apartment and found the balcony door open.
His 30-year-old wife and their four-month-old son Shrihan were lying on the ground below.
A Coronial finding into the death of Supraja Srinivas and her infant son Shrihan found the young stay-at-home mother was socially isolated and was possibly suffering from post-natal depression before she jumped to her death in Melbourne in July 2016.
The block of units where a woman and child fell from an internal balcony at an apartment building in Melbourne, Thursday, July 14, 2016. Source: AAP-Tracey Nearmy
“Supraja had a limited social network in Australia, consisting of one friend that she had limited contact with. It is highly likely that Supraja was experiencing social isolation, particularly after Shrihan’s birth," State Coroner Sara Hinchey said in .
“This would have been exacerbated by Srinivas’ parents returning to India in June, as well as Srinivas’ work commitments. Supraja no longer had familial support in Australia to assist with household and parenting responsibilities.
“This likely resulted in higher stress levels and may have negatively impacted her mood and mental state,”
The report also stated the available evidence suggested that Supraja was experiencing psychological distress, most likely in the form of Post Natal Depression (PND).
“She was not eating well and made comments that indicated she was unhappy with her appearance, suggesting a loss of appetite and loss of self-esteem. Supraja was also having difficulty sleeping.”
Supraja and Srinivas along with their daughter migrated from India to Australia for work in 2014.
Source: Deccan Chronicle
Supraja continued working after moving to Melbourne but resigned after the couple had another child in February 2016.
Srinivas’s parents who had come to support Supraja in her pregnancy returned to India in June 2016.
However, in the week of her death, Srinivas said that his wife appeared to be a ‘little bit distressed’. She wasn’t sleeping well, was barely eating and was unhappy with her appearance.
On the evening of 13 July 2016, when Srinivas returned home, he was in pain due to sciatica in his back. He was also preoccupied with a presentation he was due to give at work the next day. But he noticed that Supraja was not eating when the family was having dinner. He tried to make her eat more. Srinivas was still in pain following which Supraja gave him a hot water bottle.
After a short time, Supraja said to him “you are not hugging me, you are not hugging me.”
She later said to him, “you are not giving me hugs.” Given his pain, Srinivas asked her to come closer and gave her a hug.
The next day morning, Srinivas left with his daughter as per their routine and that was the last time he saw his wife alive.
At 10.40am on July 14, 2016, Supraja and their young infant son was found at the bottom of their apartment building.
The Coroner concluded Supraja’s death was suicide following maternal filicide of Shrihan.
Police at the scene where a woman and child fell from an internal balcony at an apartment building in Melbourne, Thursday, July 14, 2016. Source: AAP
'Vulnerability'
The Coroner's report highlighted "the vulnerability of mothers and their infants in the period after childbirth," stating that post-natal depression is the most common form of mental disorder experienced in the 12-month period after birth.
After the deaths of Supraja and Shrihan the City of Melbourne changed its practice to screen every mother at the four-week period for signs of post-natal depression.
To prevent such deaths, Judge Hinchey recommended that the city's Maternal and Child Health Service include "lack of social support/isolation" as a risk factor in its monitoring of new mothers.
The federal government is spending $3.9 million on multicultural mental health. Source: Getty
Where to seek help?
If you, or a loved one, are feeling depressed or just need someone to talk to, please contact:
Maternal and Child Health service:
is free and supports your child’s health and development from birth until school age.
When you visit a Maternal and Child Health centre, the nurse will review your child's health, growth and development. The nurse will also talk to you about your own health and how your experience as a parent of a new baby has been so far.
To make an appointment with your local Maternal and Child Health Service contact your local council. Qualified Maternal and Child Health nurses are also available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via the Maternal and Child Health Line – 13 22 29.
PANDA - Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia:
PANDA - Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia supports women, men and families across Australia affected by anxiety and depression during pregnancy and early parenthood. PANDA operates Australia’s only National Helpline for individuals and their families to recover from perinatal anxiety and depression, a serious illness that affects up to one in five expecting or new mums and one in ten expecting or new dads. Call them on 1300 726 306 or read more about them, .
