The remains of two primary school-age children were found in suitcases bought at auction at an Auckland warehouse, New Zealand police confirmed on Thursday.
According to Inspector Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua, the bodies had probably been kept for several years and the victims were between five and 10 years old. The bodies were in two suitcases of the same size, he said. “The nature of the discovery makes the investigation complex, particularly given the time that elapsed between death and discovery,” added the inspector. This macabre discovery required a family to purchase a trailer loaded with objects being sold in bulk at a warehouse. The family in question are not linked to the death but are “understandably upset by the discovery” and have asked that their privacy be respected, Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua stressed.
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Police, who have also contacted Interpol, are examining the other items, household or personal items, contained in the trailer to identify the victims. The camp and the property where the suitcases were taken were thoroughly searched by the science police. The children have not been identified, but Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua said he has sympathy for the family, who are believed to be in New Zealand and may not have known they were dead. “A lot of us (in the police force) are parents. We have a job to do and we’re doing our best to identify the victims,” he said. “What I can say is that we are making great strides in DNA testing.” “The investigation team is working very hard to bring accountability to the person or persons responsible for the deaths of these children.”