The remains of two primary school-age children were found in suitcases bought at auction at a warehouse in Auckland, New Zealand police confirmed on Thursday.
According to Inspector Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua, the bodies had probably been kept for several years and the victims would be between five and ten years old. The bodies lay in two suitcases of identical size, he said. “The nature of the discovery makes the investigation complex, due in particular to the time elapsed between death and discoveryadded the inspector. It took, for this macabre discovery, that a family buys a trailer loaded with objects sold in bulk in a warehouse. The family in question is not related to the death, but is “naturally overwhelmed by the discoveryand asked for respect for his privacy, insisted Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua.
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The police, who also called on Interpol, are looking at the other objects, household or personal, contained in the trailer to identify the victims. The warehouse and the property where the suitcases were taken were thoroughly examined by the scientific police. The children have not been identified, but Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua said he was sympathetic to the family, who are believed to be in New Zealand and who may not have known they were dead. “Many of us (in the police) are parents. We have a job to do and we are doing our best to identify the victims“, did he declare. “What I can say is that we are making great progress in the DNA investigation“. “The investigation team is working very hard to hold the person(s) responsible for the deaths of these children to account.“.
Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua expressed his sympathy for the family of the children, who may not have known they were dead. “It’s not an easy investigation“, recognized the inspector. “No matter how long or how many years you’ve been working and investigating horrible cases, it’s never easy“. A neighbor of the family who made the discovery told the New Zealand Herald he was looking after their home as they left Auckland to escape media attention.
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