Shocking Find: Remains of Vanished Mum and Daughter Found in Freezers in the Alpine Nation
The bodies of a mother aged 34 and her young daughter, 10 have been located inside freezers in an apartment in the western part of Austria.
The victims, a woman from Syria and her child, who had been missing for several months, were detected on Friday. The cooling units were placed behind a plasterboard wall in the apartment, situated in the city of Innsbruck.
Two individuals, a Austrian man, 55 and his 53-year-old brother, were arrested in June. The 55-year-old, a colleague of the female victim, stated to authorities last week that there had been an unfortunate event—but rejected intentional killing.
Addressing reporters previously, a representative for the state prosecutor announced the brothers were being detained on "strong suspicion of homicide".
The identities of those involved have not been released by authorities, in accordance with national regulations.
The vanishing of the mother and child was first reported by the woman's cousin, who resides in Germany, on the 25th of July last year.
Authorities said the woman's colleague informed them at the time she had embarked on an long journey with her daughter to travel to her relatives in Turkey.
Her bank card was then discovered to be utilized abroad on multiple occasions.
However when police searched the woman's home, her mobile phone was located.
An individual also reported hearing a loud noise in the dwelling, and cries of "mother" on the day the pair were presumed to have gone missing.
An expanded police investigation was launched, with authorities finding various messages transmitted via the mother's device—among them a resignation letter to her employer and messages to the male associate.
Law enforcement stated a significant cash transfer was also moved to the suspect.
The head of the State Criminal Police Office informed reporters on that day that a rented space had been secured before the vanishing and a freezing appliance had been installed within.
The brothers took out the cooling unit from the facility on the very day the mother and daughter vanished, the official revealed. And a week later, they purchased another freezer.
Investigators believe they believe this indicates the deaths were planned in advance.
"How they died remains unclear due to the state of decomposition of the bodies," the official commented.
A legal representative—from the legal authorities—said the precise timeline is still unclear, but the bodies were expertly concealed and were not found during a prior examination.
While the suspects were taken into custody in the summer, it was not until November 12 that the 55-year-old admitted to an occurrence and to storing the victims. He rejects any intent to kill, officials said.
Meanwhile, his brother confessed to a concealment but rejected involvement in a homicide.
The pair are at this time in detention before court proceedings in prisons in separate locations, situated at a distance.
Through a combined announcement, the nation's official for women's affairs and Justice Minister said the "alleged double murder... symbolizes the sudden and brutal end of a mother and child and uncovers a heartless setup".
"Female individuals are falling victim to homicide due to the mere fact that they are women and girls," they continued.
"Murders of women are a strongly established and issue affecting all of society that we must combat firmly."