A 16-year-old Western Australian boy faces life alone after the deaths of his father, mother and four siblings.
Riley Bolton, described as a “very shy teenager” by his family, suffered more suffering than most people ever experience in a lifetime.
His father died last month. This followed the death of his mother from leukemia, the suicide of his two brothers, the death of his sister in a car accident, and the death of his little brother in his crib.
Riley's relatives, from the Goreng-Noongar community in Gnowangerup, a sheep herding town 370km southeast of Perth, started a GoFundMe to help the teenager.
Following the death of Riley's father, his family gave Daily Mail Australia permission to tell the teenager's story and publish photos of him and his family.
Riley's cousin, Justyne Eades, said her situation was “immensely difficult” for someone so young.
“Riley was not only orphaned by the passing of his parents, but he also lost all four of his siblings,” Justyne said.
'His parents lost their first child, Adam, to SIDS at five weeks old, his six-year-old sister tragically passed away in a car accident in 2009 and his two older brothers died by suicide in 2013 and 2018.
Riley (above with his grandmother Florence) was orphaned following the death of his father last month, which follows that of his mother, three brothers and his sister
Riley Bolton's father Duane Bradley Mourish Snr (above) has died, leaving the 16-year-old without any immediate family
'It is impossible to describe the immense pain Riley has endured in her young life thus far.
'Riley is a young man of few words, but has many of the characteristics of his late mother and sister. He is a beautiful soul with a smile as bright as his mother's when you are lucky enough to catch one.
Under the heading 'Please support Riley in his time of need', Justyne Eades wrote: 'With Riley's permission, we have been asked to create this GoFundMe to raise the necessary funds to help him contribute towards the burial costs of his late father.
“As his older cousin, I am hopeful that our family and community will be willing to help Riley by making a donation, to contribute to his beloved father's funeral.”
The family's bad luck began in August 1989, when baby Adam Lee Bolton died and was buried in Gnowangerup cemetery.
Riley's mother Trina (top left) died in 2017, followed five weeks later by her son Duane Jr (top right). Regan (bottom left) committed suicide at age 19 in 2013, and her six-year-old sister Janaya (bottom right) died in a car accident in 2009
Riley (above right) suffered tragedies in her family from a young age
A grave in Gnowangerup Cemetery for three family members: Adam, who died of SIDS in 1989, Janaya, who died in a car accident exactly 20 years later, and Regan, who committed suicide in 2013
According to Riley's aunt Carleen Eades, Adam's parents, Trina and Duane Mourish Snr, had more children, Duane Jnr, and Regan, a girl, Janaya and Riley.
Tragedy struck again on the 20th anniversary of Adam's death from SIDS.
In 2009, her father, Duane Bradley Mourish Snr, was returning to Gnowangerup from Albany when his car was involved in an accident in the Stirling Ranges, and Janaya was killed.
Riley's grandmother, Florence, later revealed to ABC that after her sister's death, the older siblings “didn't get enough counseling” for their grief and in 2013, Regan took her own life.
Regan was under “stress about an upcoming court case” and Carleen Eades said that years after Janaya’s death, he “felt responsible and couldn’t live with himself.”
The day after returning from the Albany courthouse, Regan committed suicide.
'He was only 19,' said Carleen, 'then Trina contracted leukemia in 2015… and passed away in 2017 at age 46.'
Riley is now a shy teenager with “few words”, but he has loved motorbikes since he was young, according to his cousin
Riley (above) 'has many of the characteristics of her late mother and sister. A beautiful soul with a smile as bright as your mother's, when you're lucky enough to catch one'
Family friend, local councilor and Indigenous mental health activist Robbie Miniter OAM said that on the same day that Riley's mother was laid to rest in December 2017, the boy's grandfather, James, died of a heart attack.
“It’s one of the strangest things I’ve ever seen in my life,” Miniter said of the series of deaths in the Bolton-Mourish family.
Five weeks after Trina's death, Carleen said Riley's older brother, Duane Jr, committed suicide at age 27 because “he couldn't live without his mom, they were too close.”
Riley moved in with Florence after Trina's death, with Carleen saying her father, Duane Snr, 'became homeless and then I think he got lung cancer'.
Robbie Miniter told Daily Mail Australia that Duane Mourish Snr likely died “of a broken heart”.
“I don’t think he ever got over his daughter’s death and they lost a lot of family,” Miniter said.
The graves of Riley's mother Trina (left) and her brother Duane Jr, who died five weeks apart, in the grounds of Gnowangerup Cemetery in southern Western Australia
Duane Bradley Bolton-Mourish took his own life five weeks after his mother's death, his aunt saying 'family member after family member has been lost' to tragedy or trauma
Mr Miniter said that despite starting his own mentoring business with his own funds, there was still a huge gap in mental health services in Gnowangerup, with needs he was unable to meet.
“I spent 20 years in local government and sports development, working with communities and trying to break the cycle of alcohol and drug use, and I'm trying to organize a forum,” he said.
Carleen Eades said the trauma of loss in Riley's family and the lack of services in Western Australia's Greater Southern Region likely contributed to the deaths of her older brothers.
“Every time his family lost someone, there was a growing anger and guilt that tore them apart and they couldn’t deal with it,” she said.
“The older they got, it seemed like one family member after another was lost.
'We have four boys in our immediate family who have committed suicide, including my son.
Riley Bolton, pictured a few years ago with his father Duane Sr, who recently died leaving the teenager without an immediate family
“Men believe that they have to be strong and that they should feel ashamed if they have to go to counseling, and because they are adults they cannot insist.
'They say 'I'm fine' and we miss the signals. With my son, all he said was “I’m tired, Mom.”
“Trauma spreads across generations and we feel that Riley is suffering from trauma.”
Justyne said that Riley 'adors her grandmother' Florence, 'and has an absolute love for motorbikes that has been present since a very young age.'
If this has raised any issues for you, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636
