Mother of the 2 Children Shot Dead by Their Father in Murder-Suicide Also Found Dead at 37: Reports

Stock photo shows a crime scene. (Mark Makela/Getty Images)

Two children were fatally shot by their father in July. And now their mother was found dead in West Pennant Hills, Australia, on Dec. 12, according to local reports.

The death of Olga Edwards occurred just five months after the murder-suicide that left Australia stunned. Her estranged husband, 68-year-old John Edwards, a financial adviser, gunned down the teens before taking his own life.

New South Wales police confirmed the body of a woman was found in a home near Sydney, The Guardian reported. “Before 10 a.m. today, emergency services were called to a home on Hull Road in West Pennant Hills following a concern-for-welfare report,” a spokeswoman said.

She was found dead by police, and according to the Australian Associated Press, her family overseas was notified. The cause of death wasn’t revealed by police. It’s not clear if she took her own life.

“The body of a 37-year-old woman was located deceased. The death is not being treated as suspicious and a report will be prepared for the coroner,” the spokeswoman added.

In July, the slayings were described as “premeditated and planned” by officials. Edwards had two legally owned handguns.

Olga and her children were separated from John for two years prior to the shootings.

Regarding Olga’s recent death, a police source said she had “been struggling lately” and was dreading Christmas without her family, News.com.au reported. “Since losing her children she has been in and out of hospital and police have been in constant contact with her and became worried when they didn’t hear from her,” the source said.

On Wednesday, Ryde Detective Superintendent David Waddell said her death was a “tragic set of circumstances.”

Our police have been investigating [the shooting of Jack and Jennifer] since July 5 this year, when they responded to that address and found the two children deceased and just after 10 o'clock today they went back there ...[to] the same home,” he said, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

Waddell said Edwards was offered support from around the world, but “unfortunately things took their toll,” according to the report. “There are no suspicious circumstances. We will put a brief together for the coroner and that will form a part of the investigation that commenced in July,” he said.

“[There are police] who have had involvement with the investigation and some of them are very personally attached and they are feeling it today, as are the family and wider members of the public,” he also stated.

Juliette Hackett, who lives near John Edwards’s home, said she didn’t know his family well, but they “had their challenges.”

“'I feel very sad that John felt that there was no alternative than the horrific thing he did,” Hackett told the Daily Mail.

Edwards’s sister Dianne said she didn’t have anything good to say about him.

“He’s an awful man, horrible. Always has been,” she was quoted as saying.

Other details about Olga’s death are not clear.

Suicide Prevention

For help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or click here.

For support on suicide in the United Kingdom, call the Samaritans at 08457 90 90 90 or click here.

In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is accessible via 13 11 14.