🔗 Share this article

The remains of a 34-year-old woman and her young daughter, 10 have been discovered inside freezing appliances in an residence in western Austria.

The deceased, a woman from Syria and her daughter, who had been unaccounted for for several months, were uncovered on Friday. The freezers were hidden behind a false wall in the dwelling, situated in the Innsbruck area.

A pair of males, a Austrian man, 55 and his brother aged 53, were detained in the month of June. The elder brother, a work associate of the female victim, told law enforcement last week that there had been an accident—but disputed homicide.

Speaking to the media recently, a representative for the state prosecutor announced the two suspects were being detained on "high likelihood of intentional killing".

The identities of those concerned have been withheld by authorities, in following national regulations.

The family's disappearance was first reported by the cousin of the mother, who resides in Germany, on the 25th of July last year.

Investigators stated the 55-year-old suspect told them at the time she had gone on an prolonged visit with her daughter to see her family in Turkey.

The victim's bank card was then noted as being active in foreign locations several times.

But when police searched the mother's apartment, her cellphone was discovered.

An individual also stated listening to a disturbing sound in the flat, and cries of "mum" on the date the mother and child were thought to have disappeared.

A broader official inquiry was launched, with authorities uncovering several texts sent from the woman's phone—including a resignation letter to her workplace and communications to the male associate.

Authorities confirmed a four-figure sum was also moved to the man.

Katja Tersch told media representatives on recently that a storage facility had been leased before the vanishing and a cooling unit had been placed there.

The two suspects removed the freezer from the unit on the date the woman and her child disappeared, she stated. And a week later, they purchased another freezer.

Officials believe they believe this suggests the demise were premeditated.

"The reason for their demise remains unclear due to the state of decomposition of the remains," Tersch said.

The prosecutor's spokesman—representing the state—said the exact sequence of events is not yet known, but the bodies were professionally hidden and not discovered during a earlier inspection.

Although the suspects were taken into custody in June, it was not until November 12 that the elder brother admitted to an occurrence and to storing the victims. He denies any intent to kill, investigators said.

In a related development, his 53-year-old sibling admitted to a attempt to hide evidence but rejected awareness of a homicide.

The pair are at this time in detention before court proceedings in prisons in separate locations, situated at a distance.

Via a shared communication, the nation's official for women's affairs and Justice Minister stated the "alleged double murder... constitutes the swift and cruel conclusion of two individuals and reveals a heartless setup".

"Female individuals are falling victim to homicide due to the sole reason that they are women and girls," they continued.

"Femicides are a profoundly embedded and widespread concern that we must fight resolutely."