The remains of two primary school-aged children were found in two suitcases bought by a family during an auction in New Zealand, local authorities reported on Thursday.
The Auckland auction left many troubled by the discovery, and officers have vowed to find who is responsible for the deaths of the two children.
Detective Inspector Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua shared during a media conference on Thursday that the bodies had to have been in storage for several years. Vaaelua also confirmed that the victims were between five and ten years of age.
"The nature of this discovery provides some complexities to the investigation, especially given the time lapsed between the time of death and the time of discovery," Vaaelua said.
Authorities are still working to identify the children. However, Vaaelua shared that this case hits home for him and other officers because "A lot of us are parents and we have a job to do and we're doing our very best to identify the victims."
While they are not sure who the children are yet, he did note that they are making progress with DNA inquiries, and their investigation team is working hard to hold the person who is responsible accountable.
"This includes establishing where, when, and how," he said.
The suitcases holding the remains were on a trailer full of items sold in bulk from a storage unit. The family that purchased them is not connected to the homicide, police confirmed.
Some of the other items found inside the storage unit are helping provide clues to who the victims were, Vaaelua shared.
A team of forensic experts is thoroughly examining both the storage unit and property where the suitcases were brought to look for more evidence.
The investigation remains ongoing, and the international criminal agency Interpol is assisting New Zealand police.
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