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Pimpama deaths: Teresa Bradford was trying to 'provide a good life' for her kids

Rachel Clun
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Full of cheeky selfies, Teresa Bradford's Facebook profile is mostly upbeat.

Her social media presence also shows a woman who loved horses and her cats, and felt strongly about community safety. 

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Teresa was 'scared' before death

Mother-of-four Teresa Bradford was trying to find a new place to live before she was killed by her estranged husband in her Pimpama home on Tuesday. Nine News

Her latest profile picture - a black background with the words "closed for spiritual maintenance" - may give some insight into how she was trying to cope with a difficult set of circumstances.

Teresa was killed by her estranged husband David Bradford in an apparent murder-suicide on the Gold Coast. Her children found their bodies in her Pimpama home early on Tuesday morning.

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Just two weeks earlier, Mr Bradford had been released on bail over a slew of domestic violence related assault charges.

"When I heard the news I messaged her to see if she was OK, but I had a feeling it was her," friend Rebecca Degraaf said.

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Ms Degraaf had only known Ms Bradford for a few weeks, but said they quickly bonded over their many shared circumstances.

"We have a lot in common, we're both single mums, both have four kids, we have similar interests," Ms Degraaf said.

The pair first met when Ms Bradford went to buy school uniforms. Ms Degraaf said she dropped the uniforms around to her house that night, and they ended up having a long chat.

"She said, 'I don't know what to do, I'm terrified basically and on my own'," Ms Degraaf said.

Ms Degraaf offered to help and said when she visited again on January 25 with donations gathered from the community of school uniforms, clothes, food and money for the family, Ms Bradford seemed more upbeat.

"She was a lot happier the second time around, because she felt like someone was listening," Ms Degraaf said.

Ms Bradford was studying nursing at Griffith University, but according to Ms Degraaf was "a little fearful" her back injuries sustained in a domestic violence incident in 2016 would prevent her from practicing as a nurse.

Ms Degraaf said Ms Bradford was keen to continue her studies, and had gone to the university to discuss what support would be available to her, including potential bursaries for text books.

"She was trying to protect [her children] from what was going on at home and provide for them, trying to get nursing done so she could provide a good life for them," Ms Degraad said.

"She was really trying to hold it together for them."

Ms Degraaf and another friend, Debra Napper, said she had been determined to move elsewhere so her estranged husband couldn't find her.

"She was trying to leave this house and find somewhere else to live," Ms Napper said.

"She told me that. She was ready to pack up and move."

Ms Degraaf said Ms Bradford needed help moving because of her health issues, which proved more difficult than she imagined.

"I'd been going through a range of options. She tried to get help, I tried to get her help - it was so easy for him to find her too," Ms Degraaf said.

Ms Napper said she was "very disappointed" with how the system had failed to prevent the tragedy from happening.

"You would think being in a domestic violence relationship that somebody would have helped her move out quicker," she said.

People seeking assistance can contact DV Connect Womensline on 1800 811 811 or the Mensline on 1800 600 636.