Children whose bodies were shockingly discovered in a suitcase had likely been dead for several years before being found at a storage locker auction, police say.
Officers have revealed that the children discovered dead in two separate suitcases may have died several years ago and the luggage had likely been in storage for at least three or four years.
Police confirmed last week that the luggage that had been gathering dust in a storage unit in South Auckland, New Zealand, contained the bodies of two primary-school-aged children.
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South Auckland Detective Inspector Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua said that the bodies were found on August 11, but that a post-mortem indicates the kids may have died a number of years ago.
The remains were discovered in suitcases that had been sold to a family as part of an auction at a property on Moncreiff Ave.
The suitcase was in the back of a trailer where other items such as children's toys were strewn about, according to a neighbour.
One neighbour told Newshub: "I feel sorry for the family because they've got nothing to do with it."
Mr Vaaelua stressed that the family who purchased the personal and household items in an online auction and discovered the remains had nothing to do with the deaths.
He said they were understandably disturbed by their discovery.
The relatives of the children, who are between five and ten years old, have now been found living in Asia by police but they also have family in New Zealand that have not yet been identified.
Pathologists are now trying to establish "when, where and how they died" with a homicide investigation.
A man at their home who was minding the property said that they are "doing alright" after the morbid find.
“The investigation team is working very hard to hold accountable the person or persons responsible for the deaths of these children,” Mr Vaaelua said.
The detective said he was unable to comment on the identity of the storage unit owner and possible involvement of the storage facilities.
But he did confirm that officials are working with international law enforcement organisations, including Interpol.
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