'SHE COULDN'T SEE A WAY OUT'
No N one kknew theh tragedyd hidihiding behind Jasmine’s smile
Lisa Mossman recalls being surprised when her daughter Jasmine Mossman-riley sent through a series of happy snaps of her playing with her two-year-old son Braxon on the headland at Sydney’s Maroubra Beach.
“She never usually sent me many pictures,” the motherof-three says, tearily. “I just wrote back and said it was lovely to see them having such a great time.”
Tragically, a few hours later, Lisa received a message from her beloved daughter which made her life a “living hell”.
“I’m sorry, I hope you understand why I had to do this…” Jasmine wrote.
After a desperate search, police found the mother and son dead at the bottom of a cliff face. Jasmine had jumped with her son, leaving behind a heartbreaking note for her loved ones.
Lisa, who saw the pair days earlier, says her daughter was undergoing treatment at the time for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after the end of a violent relationship.
“She was being treated by a psychologist weekly and she was undergoing therapy,” Lisa says. “She had been the victim of domestic abuse and it had really taken its toll on her. She was such a strong person and it’s so sad she felt like no one could help her.”
Almost 18 months since the tragedy, Lisa says she still relives her last moments with her eldest daughter and grandson, and wishes she could turn back time.
“She seemed happy enough and Braxon was laughing away,” Lisa recalls. “Now I just wish I’d never let them leave that day. I want people to know Jasmine was a good person and a great mother. She couldn’t see a way out.
“Suicide is about someone who doesn’t have a normal state of mind. Everyone was shocked because Jasmine was always smiling. Just because someone is smiling, it doesn’t mean they are OK.” If you or someone you know needs help, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.