New Zealand family discovers two dead children hidden inside second-hand suitcases

[Kurve]

A New Zealand family who bought some abandoned goods from a storage unit got home with their purchases and discovered the bodies of two children hidden in two suitcases.

The children were between five and 10 years old, had been dead for a number of years, and the suitcases had been in storage for at least three or four years, police said.

The family had purchased the personal and household items in an online auction and hauled them home last week

Dead children discovered hidden in second-hand suitcases in New Zealand

Police say the children were between five and 10 years old and have been dead for a number of years. The suitcases had been in storage for at least three or four years.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Pamcake1]

Well that's not one you see on the 'Storage Wars' program.

 

[craffles]

Whaaaat

 

[Kurve]

So it might appear they know who these children are but how could the family not have been aware they were missing? Were they foster children or left with someone?

Police say they are following “positive lines of inquiry”, however are unable to yet comment on the children’s identity, as the next of kin is yet to be notified.

.... several sources have now confirmed that the family of the two primary-school aged children are in Asia.

“What I can say is we are making very good progress with DNA inquiries,” Vaaelua said.

“I really feel for the families of these victims and right here, right now there are relatives that aren’t aware that their loved ones have deceased.”

Fresh twist in case of children’s remains found in suitcase in NZ storage unit

‘There are relatives that aren’t aware that their loved ones have deceased.’

7news.com.au

 

[BFew]

So it might appear they know who these children are but how could the family not have been aware they were missing? Were they foster children or left with someone?

From the below article, it sounds like NZ Police think they know the identity of the 2 deceased children.

Maybe they went missing overseas, and the children (dead or alive) were secretly transported into Australia by ship, boat, or plane.

Exclusive: Family of young children whose human remains found in suitcases are in Asia

NZ Police have confirmed they are working with Interpol and "overseas agencies".

www.nzherald.co.nz

'Sources have now also confirmed to the Herald family of the two young children are in Asia.
Vaaelua had confirmed NZ Police were also working with Interpol as part of the homicide investigation.
"We've commenced inquiries with overseas agencies. I cannot state any further than that," Vaaelua said.'

'at this stage police could not confirm the genders of the two children.'

 

[Kurve]

From the below article, it sounds like NZ Police think they know the identity of the 2 deceased children.

Maybe they went missing overseas, and the children (dead or alive) were secretly transported into Australia by ship, boat, or plane.

Exclusive: Family of young children whose human remains found in suitcases are in Asia

NZ Police have confirmed they are working with Interpol and "overseas agencies".

www.nzherald.co.nz

'Sources have now also confirmed to the Herald family of the two young children are in Asia.
Vaaelua had confirmed NZ Police were also working with Interpol as part of the homicide investigation.
"We've commenced inquiries with overseas agencies. I cannot state any further than that," Vaaelua said.'

'at this stage police could not confirm the genders of the two children.'

I can't see it anywhere, are they confirmed as siblings do we know?

 

[BFew]

I can't see it anywhere, are they confirmed as siblings do we know?

Good point.

Nothing to confirm or suggest that the two of them are related by blood or by parents/carers.

Could even be a case of someone's suitcases being unknowingly used to transport the bodies from A to B.

Or someone getting access to the suitcases whilst in storage, or transit (within NZ), and inserting the bodies into the cases to replace all or some of what was already in them.

Maybe the cases were owned by someone who was planning to come back to NZ, or to NZ and something to do with COVID changed the plans.

 

[Kurve]

Good point.

Nothing to confirm or suggest that the two of them are related by blood or by parents/carers.

Could even be a case of someone's suitcases being unknowingly used to transport the bodies from A to B.

Or someone getting access to the suitcases whilst in storage, or transit (within NZ), and inserting the bodies into the cases to replace all or some of what was already in them.

Maybe the cases were owned by someone who was planning to come back to NZ, or to NZ and something to do with COVID changed the plans.

There was a case in the US a couple of years ago where a woman's deceased infants were found in similar circumstances in a storage locker. It's generally only when the customer stops making the payments are they opened up.

 

[Kurve]

They might be children that have been reported as missing?

 

[BFew]

They might be children that have been reported as missing?

Non Aus/NZ nationals probably.
Probably reported missing overseas.
Probably kids who had never officially ever set foot in Aus/NZ.

 

[Kurve]

Non Aus/NZ nationals probably.
Probably reported missing overseas.
Probably kids who had never officially ever set foot in Aus/NZ.

I can see New Zealand has been classified as a destination country for human trafficking which sadly, includes children.

Human trafficking in New Zealand - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[BFew]

Probably reported missing overseas.

Possibly not, if they were from some country where it was/is much easier than Aus/NZ, for infants or babies to just disappear and never officially be reported missing.

 

[Kurve]

Possibly not, if they were from some country where it was/is much easier than Aus/NZ, for infants or babies to just disappear and never officially be reported missing.

There's suggestion they have relatives in both New Zealand and Asia but I can't find anything on missing children in New Zealand that might fit.

 

[BFew]

There's suggestion they have relatives in both New Zealand and Asia but I can't find anything on missing children in New Zealand that might fit.

These relatives could be more distant than parents/carers.
Like first cousins, twice removed.
With the more distant relatives living in a different country than the parents/carers.

 

[BFew]

This article this morning doesn't even indicate where they got the 'Korea' link from.

Family of children found in suitcases believed to be in Korea

An international police investigation is underway to find family of the children.

www.nzherald.co.nz

'Family members of the two children whose remains were found in suitcases are believed to be in Korea.'

 

[Kurve]

This article this morning doesn't even indicate where they got the 'Korea' link from.

Family of children found in suitcases believed to be in Korea

An international police investigation is underway to find family of the children.

www.nzherald.co.nz

'Family members of the two children whose remains were found in suitcases are believed to be in Korea.'

The first mention I saw of Korea was that journalists had made contact with all Asian countries to ask if they'd had contact with police over the case and the only one who didn't respond was Korea.

 

[BFew]

Some useful insights/opinions from Lance Burdett, a retired NZ Policeman.

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

'Bodies in suitcases: How did two children remain undiscovered in a storage unit for years?
Melanie Earley
05:00, Aug 21 2022'

'The children are believed to be of Asian descent, with family in New Zealand and Korea.'

'Former police negotiator Lance Burdett said if the children had been living in Aotearoa they likely attended school at some stage.
“If that is the case you would expect the school would have tried to contact family when they stopped showing up.
“But unfortunately there’s not always a lot of follow up with this sort of thing – they’d need to find a contact for the family and they could just say they’ve gone overseas or something similar.”'

'Crompton said there was a gap in the system when it came to contacting children who stopped going to school.'

'He also said it was possible the two children found in the suitcases may have never attended school. Crompton believed there were many children in Aotearoa who were never even enrolled in school.

But Burdett said for two children to go missing in Aotearoa for a number of years was “extremely uncommon”.
“I’ve never seen a situation like this occur in my career – it’s very unique and very sad.”'

'Burdett said police didn’t go to Interpol “on a whim”, and it likely meant they had a strong lead or indication of who the children were, or who put them in the storage locker.

He also believed Interpol being involved meant whoever police were trying to track down was likely no longer in the country.

”I believe they’ll have found some interesting items in the unit – there’s always something left behind, and there’s probably letters or documents in there which will help lead to identification.”

Whoever was responsible for what may have happened to the children, Burdett believed they wouldn’t have done it before.

“I think this was a first time thing, with kids it’s most likely someone known to them and it could even be a tragedy where a parent or caregiver may have had some sort of mental break.

“Often the simplest answer for these sorts of things is the correct one, but at this stage anything could’ve happened.”

 

[BFew]

More developments on the Korean family today.

And NZ Police inferring that the 2 kids were related or siblings.

Bodies found in suitcases: Relative sought by police could face extradition

More details emerge in search for relatives after a grisly find in South Auckland.

www.nzherald.co.nz

'Relative sought by police after kids' bodies found in suitcases 'could be their mother'​

22 Aug, 2022 12:40 PM'

'A family member being sought by South Korean police in connection with the discovery of two children's bodies in suitcases at a South Auckland storage facility may be the children's mother.

A police officer told Reuters the woman was a Korean-born New Zealander who arrived in South Korea in 2018. There was no record of her departing South Korea since then.

Her whereabouts were unknown and it is unclear whether she had other relatives with her when she arrived in South Korea, Reuters reported.

"New Zealand police had requested confirmation whether the person who might be related to a crime case was in South Korea," the police officer said, adding that given her past address and age, she could be the mother of the kids.'

 

[BFew]

More developments on the Korean family today.

and this Stuff article which confirms the POI women NZ Police are seeking in South Korea only has NZ citizenship now (an ex-Korean Citizen).

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

'Woman sought over children whose bodies were found in suitcases believed to be in South Korea, potential mother​

David Skipwith17:06, Aug 22 2022'

'The woman was a South Korean citizen but had acquired New Zealand citizenship, KBS, South Korea's public broadcaster, reported on Monday.

“If the woman is clearly identified as a suspect and an arrest warrant is received, there is a high possibility of an Interpol red notice. We will then proceed with the extradition process,” an official from the Foreign Affairs Bureau of the National Police Agency told reporters in Seoul, according to the Hankyoreh newspaper.'

The woman is a Korean-New Zealander who obtained New Zealand citizenship after giving up her Korean citizenship, according to the JTBC TV channel. She is known to have a long-term residence at the address associated with the bag in question, the channel reported.

Because the woman is not a South Korean citizen, police there need a legal reason, such as a New Zealand court warrant, before they can determine her exact residence. For this reason, South Korean police has asked their New Zealand counterparts to supply further documentation, the Dong-A Ilbo newspaper reported.

In a statement, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea confirmed neither New Zealand Police nor Interpol had contacted them about the incident.'

 

[BFew]

according to the Hankyoreh newspaper.'

This article from the Korean media.

경매로 산 가방 속 주검 2구…뉴질랜드 경찰이 한국 두드린 까닭은

뉴질랜드 경찰이 경매에서 팔린 가방 안에 어린이 주검 2구가 들어있는 사건과 관련해 한국 경찰에 공조를 요청했다. 22일 현지 언론과 경찰청 설명을 종합하면, 지난주 초 뉴질랜드 경찰은 이 사건의 가족으로 추정되는 여성 ㄱ씨의 소재를 파악해달라고 인터폴을 통해 한국 경

www.hani.co.kr

'Two corpses in a bag bought at auction... The reason New Zealand police beat Korea'
Edited: 2022-08-22 14:23'
New Zealand police request cooperation from Korean police'

 

[BFew]

The only worthy of posting bits from today on this sad case.

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

'17:49, Aug 23 2022'

'“Andrew Moon, a pastor at Glenfield Community Church, said .... It has not been completely confirmed that the children are Korean, so Koreans seem to be still a little cautious,” he said.'

'Korean news media has reported New Zealand police are looking for a woman, who could be the mother of the children based on her age, who has been back in South Korea since 2018. The woman was a Korean-born New Zealand citizen.
However, New Zealand police won’t confirm whether this is true.'

 

[Truckosaurus]

Police wouldn't confirm the sky was blue if they thought it was relevant to a sensitive and high-profile investigation.

 

[BFew]

Foster kids maybe?

Manurewa homicide: Police identify two children found inside suitcases

'Police are continuing to investigate.'

www.nzherald.co.nz

'the Coroner had issued an interim non-publication order which suppressed the evidence of the identities of the children at the request of their family.'

'"This order suppresses the names of the children and their relatives and evidence that may lead to the identification of the two victims.'

'"New Zealand police had requested confirmation whether the person who might be related to a crime case was in South Korea," the police officer said, adding that given her past address and age, she could be the mother of the children.'

 

[BFew]

The latest new info in Stuff articles today and last Friday on this case.

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

'Police supported a family’s application to suppress the identities of two children found dead in suitcases in south Auckland because international enquiries were at a “critical stage” and “any release may jeopardise” the ongoing investigation.'

'Documents released to Stuff on Monday show New Zealand-based relatives of the children sought the order because of “speculation of involvement of the wider family in the deaths”.

Publication would “make too much media gossip” and affect the family’s privacy, a relative said in their application.

The case had “too much media focus and it will make family life difficult”, they said.

Coroner Tania Tetitaha, who is based in Whangarei, sought the police’s view on such an order.

In an email dated August 22, a detective wrote “we are in the critical stages of our enquiries with Interpol and any release may jeopardise our ongoing investigation”.

At the time, police had yet to “finalise the identity” of one of the children.

The coroner said there were grounds “at least on an interim basis” to grant the order.

“This is especially while the identity of one child is outstanding and the investigation into the circumstances of the death is ongoing.”

A non-publication order prevents Stuff reporting the relative’s relationship to the victims.

“It is in the interests of justice that the applicants are not identified in this early stage of the criminal investigation so that the police have the opportunity to complete any enquiries with family members of the deceased without pressure being placed on them by any members of the public,” the Coroner said.

On Saturday, Stuff revealed the girl and the boy were born in Auckland in 2009 and 2012 respectively.

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

'On Friday, following questions from Stuff earlier in the day, Detective Inspector Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua said the children had been identified.'

'Their parents, who are both from Seoul, South Korea, married in New Zealand.

The children's father died of cancer in late 2017.'

His parents have lived in Auckland, but it is unclear if that remains the case.'

'the woman, aged in her 40s'.

 

[craffles]

It seems like this is going to be a really ****ing sad and messed up outcome based on what has been leaked by the media. The earlier comments about someone having a mental break seem telling.

Awful case