Ashley Pouladian (pictured) and her mother spent their final moments cleaning up their home and yard before rigging up pipes to their car to end their lives
A mother and daughter found dead after a tragic suicide pact spent their final days cleaning up their home and yard before rigging up pipes to their car to end their lives, distraught neighbours have revealed.
The bodies of Sisi Pouladian, 45, and Ashley, 20, were discovered in the family’s black hatchback in the rear driveway of their Greenacre property in Sydney’s south-west on Monday afternoon.
Their beloved dog, a German shepherd, was also found dead inside the vehicle.
Daily Mail Australia has been told the mother and daughter rigged pipes from their home to their car, which wasn’t running when the pair were found.
‘They knew we were checking on them and would notice the car going in the driveway and stop them, so they worked out another way.’
Friends said Mrs Pouladian and Ashley ‘couldn’t go on’ after losing their son and brother, Pouya Pouladian, who died following a routine operation in March.
Their next door neighbour said he saw the mother and daughter on the weekend, busily tidying the yard to get the property looking its best.
The Zareei family have known the dead mother and daughter since they moved from Iran to Australia over ten years ago – Mr Zareei is pictured comforting his wife
Friends said Mrs Pouladian and Ashley ‘couldn’t go on’ after losing their son and brother, Pouya Pouladian (pictured with girlfriend Pilar Mempin) after a routine operation in March.
‘They were making everything spotless and cleaned up the back yard,’ he said.
‘I used to be able to share their internet as well – but it was disconnected three days ago.’
Close family friends who arrived at the Greenacre property on Tuesday morning broke down in tears on the front lawn, struggling to come to terms with their loss.
One man, clearly in shock, was pictured watering the family’s garden just a few metres from where the bodies were found.
Family friends who arrived at the property on Tuesday morning broke down in tears on the front lawn
Ashley (pictured) and left a chilling note on their front door alerting neighbours ‘we are in the backyard’
The Zareei family have known Sisi and Ashley Pouladian since they came to Australia from Iran a decade ago.
On Tuesday they collapsed outside the home and wondered what more they could have done to help the family.
‘After Pouya does Sisi was broken, I called her on Saturday and asked if I could come over and she said no, she was too sad,’ Mrs Zareei said.
The devastated friends of the popular family hope Sisi’s brother can come from Iran to farewell his niece and sister.
Mr Zareei said the family had fixed up the yard, bought new furniture and cleaned the house in the time before their death – he watered the garden for them on Tuesday to help keep it nice
The handwritten note left on their front door read: ‘Dear neighbours please call the police we are in our car in the backyard’
Mrs Zareei outside the home where the mother and daughter were found – she had asked her friend if she could visit over the weekend but was told Mrs Pouladian was ‘too sad’ for guests
‘He wanted to visit Australia and take her back to Iran after Pouya because he knew how sad she was – but they wouldn’t let him and now she is dead,’ one said.
Neighbours visited the family every day – conducting regular welfare checks.
The family had just replaced all of the old furniture in the home – their friends say this is so it would look its best for whoever had to empty the house for them.
Another neighbour said Mrs Pouladian used to appear happy, and would chat often – but immediately after the death of her son she became withdrawn.
Loved ones collapsed outside the home and wondered what more they could have done to help the family
The bodies were discovered in the family’s black hatchback in the rear driveway of their Greenacre home
‘She would say it was all becoming too hard, she would say she couldn’t live without her son,’ the neighbour said.
A handwritten note left on the front door of the mother and daughter’s home read: ‘Dear neighbours, please call the police we are in our car in the backyard carport.’
The short letter appeared to include in brackets ‘gas inside’, before finishing: ‘Thank you, love you.’
A neighbour said they saw the note when they went to check on the mother and daughter’s welfare, as they often did.
‘They went to the car and said ”get up, get up” but didn’t get a reaction so they panicked and called police,’ they told The Daily Telegraph.
Two grieving woman are pictured embracing at the scene of the tragedy on Tuesday morning
The handwritten letter is pictured on the front door of the home following Monday’s tragedy
Close family friends who arrived at the Greenacre home on Tuesday morning collapsed on the front lawn
The family dog was also killed in the suicide – but a neighbour told Daily Mail Australia it ‘had to be’.
‘If he was alive then no one would have been able to get anywhere near them – he was a good guard dog and had been with them since they lived in ten years ago,’ he said.
Pouya, 24, had been training to become a commercial pilot and was working three jobs to support his mother and sister before his death.
It is understood the siblings and mother also lost their father and husband about six years ago to a heart attack.
On March 9, Ashley took to social media to announce the tragic death of her brother, 24.
The tragedy came just four months after their brother and son, Pouya Pouladian (pictured), died following a routine tonsil operation
Detectives and emergency crews are pictured at the scene at Greenacre in Sydney’s south-west
‘Due to… unforeseen events post-operation, my 24-year-old brother, Pouya Pouladian, passed away a few days ago,’ she wrote on Facebook.
‘He was an amazing and hardworking person who never failed to care deeply for my mother and I. He was truly our inspiration in life.
‘Words cannot describe what an angel he was… Rest easy Captain Pouya.’
Pouya created a GoFundMe page last year, saying he ‘couldn’t breathe’ due to a severe case of sleep apnoea, a disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts.
Footwear is seen at the front door of the Greenacre home on Tuesday morning
Pouya had been working three jobs to pay for his aviation school, as well as supporting his mother and sister. Police at pictured at the scene in Greenacre
‘It’s caused by my sinuses and the nasal passages not being straight,’ he wrote.
‘Have been to too many specialists and they all have recommended me to do a surgery, which will cost me about $6-7k even with my private health insurance.’
Pouya’s girlfriend Pilar Mempin told Fairfax in March he ‘loved his family more than anything in the world’.
‘He would do anything for them,’ she added.
The mother and daughter were found in a car parked in a driveway at the rear of their home
Pouya (pictured), a student pilot, created a GoFundMe page last year, saying he ‘couldn’t breathe’. He later died after a routine operation
If you or anyone need someone to talk to, contact Lifeline Australia 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636
• Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467
• Kids Helpline – 1800 55 1800
• MensLine Australia – 1300 78 99 78
If you need an interpreter to help you get in touch with any of the above services, call, Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450