Disturbing Discovery: Remains of Missing Mother and Child Located in Freezers in the Alpine Nation
The deceased of a mother aged 34 and her young daughter, 10 have been found inside freezing appliances in an flat in western Austria.
The deceased, a woman from Syria and her daughter, who had been unaccounted for for several months, were uncovered on the end of last week. The cooling units were placed behind a false wall in the dwelling, situated in the Innsbruck area.
Two individuals, a 55-year-old Austrian and his brother aged 53, were arrested in the month of June. The elder brother, a colleague of the Syrian woman, informed police last week that there had been an incident—but disputed murder.
Speaking to journalists recently, a representative for the state prosecutor announced the two suspects were being held on "serious suspicion of homicide".
Personal details of those involved have not been disclosed by authorities, in accordance with local legislation.
The family's disappearance was originally brought to light by the woman's cousin, who resides in Germany, on July 25, 2024.
Investigators stated the woman's colleague told them at the time she had taken an long journey with her daughter to visit her parents in the nation of Turkey.
The mother's debit card was then found to have been used in foreign locations several times.
But when officers examined the mother's apartment, her mobile phone was located.
A witness also claimed listening to a loud noise in the apartment, and shouts of "mother" on the day the two were presumed to have gone missing.
A wider police investigation was started, with authorities finding various messages sent from the woman's phone—including a notice of quitting to her employer and messages to the 55-year-old suspect.
Officials confirmed a significant cash transfer was also moved to the individual.
Katja Tersch informed media representatives on recently that a storage unit had been secured before the vanishing and a freezing appliance had been installed within.
The male siblings extracted the cooling unit from the storage space on the date the mother and daughter vanished, she stated. And a seven days after, they purchased an additional appliance.
Investigators believe they consider this suggests the fatalities were planned in advance.
"The cause of death was not identifiable due to the state of decomposition of the bodies," she stated.
Mayr—of the public prosecutor's office—stated the precise timeline is not yet known, but the bodies were expertly concealed and were not found during a previous house search.
Although the men were arrested in the summer, it was not until 12 November that the 55-year-old confessed to an occurrence and to storing the victims. He denies any murderous intent, authorities stated.
At the same time, his brother admitted to a cover-up but denied awareness of a murder.
The brothers are presently in detention before court proceedings in prisons in separate locations, situated at a distance.
In a joint statement, the nation's official for women's affairs and Justice Minister said the "alleged double murder... represents the abrupt and violent termination of two human lives and exposes a brutal scheme".
"Female individuals are falling victim to homicide due to the sole reason that they are women and girls," they continued.
"Murders of women are a profoundly embedded and widespread concern that we must address decisively."
