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The human remains found in suitcases at a property in south Auckland belonged to two children, police have confirmed.
Detective Inspector Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua said police were working to figure out the children’s exact ages, but they were believed to be between 5 and 10 years old.
Vaaelua said the children had not yet been identified and he felt for their families, who might not be aware they were dead.
“A lot of us [police officers] are parents and we have a job to do and we’re doing our very best to conclude the inquiry and identify the victims.”
The remains were discovered among belongings at a home in Clendon Park on August 11.
Vaaelua said “the very nature of this discovery means this is a complex investigation – and it will take time.”
“Our priority remains on confirming the identification of the deceased and results of further examinations and tests are still pending,” he said.
“No matter the time frame, the public can continue to be reassured that Police are committed to holding the person, or persons, responsible to account.”
“We know any incident like this is incredibly unsettling for the community and we want people to know they can make contact with us if they have any concerns.”
The family that lives there had picked the remains up among a lot bought in a storage unit auction from Safe Store Papatoetoe.
They did not know the contents of the trailer-load of goods until they returned home.
They were “understandably distressed by the discovery,” Vaaelua said.
A neighbour of the property previously said there was a “wicked smell” coming from the home before police arrived.
Police were “still on a fact-finding mission and we still have a lot of unanswered questions,” he said.
There were household and personal items found with the suitcases and police were using those to assist with identifying the victims, Vaaelua said.
The suitcases had been in the storage unit for between three and four years. There were two suitcases of similar size.
This story first appeared on Stuff and is republished here with permission.
Source: 9News
