For many, someone like Clementine Wilkes, a talented student at Norman Park State School in Brisbane’s south-east, was the kind of youth destined to go places. She had an extraordinary academic resume to brag about. Her mother, Tiffany Wilkes, touted her accomplishments, referring to her as a “mini genius,” stating she was a “star performer.” This bright future turned grim when Clementine started to miss major stretches of school starting in 2024. In late September, Queensland authorities found Clementine and her mother’s decomposing bodies at an Airbnb in Kenmore Hills, Brisbane. Their deaths are believed to be a murder-suicide, an all too common and increasingly pernicious form of homicide.
Tiffany Wilkes certainly poured her heart and soul into her job as an obstetrician at Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital. At the same time, she was really struggling with her own mental health issues. Having gone through involuntary treatment in 2023, she was unable to work for nearly a year and a half afterwards. Despite this, she was still technically employed by the hospital. In the weeks leading up to their tragic deaths, Tiffany scheduled an email to a work colleague. This alarming tip led to a welfare check that revealed a tragic situation.
Academic Promise and Disappearance
Clementine Wilkes stood out in her sixth-grade class as one of the smartest kids in the room. Her enthusiastic academic record pretty much does that for her. By 2024, her consistent attendance deteriorated. At first, her absences were covered by Tiffany with plausible excuses like sickness or vacation. As the school year progressed, though, Clementine’s attendance started to suffer. Over time, this resulted in her needing to leave formal education behind and move into home-schooling.
The situation behind Clementine’s withdrawal was cause for concern to anyone familiar with the family. A colleague of Tiffany remarked on the potential oversight of child services regarding Clementine’s situation:
“Clemmie should have been known to the Department of Child Services because Tiffany was extremely mentally unwell.” – Colleague
Even with these challenges, Tiffany was determined to build a better life for herself and Clementine. Little more than two-and-a-half years ago, she bought a four-bedroom townhouse in Norman Park for $1.27 million. She and Clem never actually lived there.
Mental Health Struggles
Tiffany Wilkes had herself experienced tremendous trauma that must have impacted her capacity to care for her daughter. Her mental health problems eventually lead to the coercive treatment she faced in 2023. Those same colleagues marveled at her commitment to her craft. She was always the last to leave and the first one to take on the hardest cases.
Her mental health struggles began to affect other aspects of her life. Since then, she has suffered severe losses in her work and personal life. These colleague’s observations are representative of a much bigger disconnect between Tiffany’s public facing image and what she was going through behind closed doors.
“She was a hard worker, lovely person, good doctor.” – Colleague
In discussions surrounding Clementine’s tragic fate, another colleague emphasized the need for greater awareness regarding children of parents with mental health issues:
The discovery of both Tiffany and Clementine’s bodies came after the scheduled email was sent to a colleague, raising immediate concerns about their well-being. It was during this attempt to ensure their safety that authorities discovered them at the Kenmore Hills property.
“Any child of someone who has had the Mental Health Act invoked should have been on the radar of child services.” – Colleague
A Heartbreaking Discovery
The shock of Clementine’s loss reminds us all that no brilliant young life — not one so full of potential — should ever come to such an end. Had there been better support systems in place for families grappling with mental health issues, could this outcome have been prevented?
The loss of Clementine has left many questioning how such a brilliant young life could end so tragically. Had there been better support systems in place for families grappling with mental health issues, could this outcome have been prevented?
