Police: Remains found in suitcases by New Zealand family were of 2 children

Authorities in New Zealand say the human remains found in suitcases that a family bought as part of a storage unit auction online belonged to two children.

At a press conference, New Zealand Police Detective Inspector Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua said Thursday that they were working on identifying the children, who they believe had been dead “a number of years,” The Washington Post reported.

Vaaelua said the children were likely between the ages of 5 and 10, the New York Times reported.

The Counties Manukau Police said they were alerted about the discovery by the unsuspected family on Aug. 11 after they went through the suitcases back at their residence.

The newspapers reported that during the press conference, Vaaelua said the suitcases had been in the storage center for three or four years before the family purchased them.

Police said they the family who made the discovery were not involved in the incident, the newspapers reported.

Police said they are investigating the incident as a homicide.

Police said they were working with Interpol, the newspapers reported.