The bodies had probably been kept for several years, and the victims ranged in age from five to ten years.
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. The victims are said to be between five and ten 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,” he added.
Buyers are out of the question
This macabre discovery required a family to purchase a trailer loaded with objects being sold in bulk at a warehouse. The family in question was unrelated to the death but was “understandably upset by the discovery” and had asked for their privacy to be respected, the inspector said.
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.
“We are doing our best to identify the victims”
The children have not been identified, but Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua expressed her condolences to her family, who are believed to be in New Zealand and who may not have known they were dead.
“Many of us [dans la police] we are related. We have a job to do and we’re doing our best to identify the victims,” he said at a news conference.
He also assured that the investigation was progressing thanks to DNA analysis: “The investigative team is working very hard to bring to justice the person or people responsible for the deaths of these children.”