Disturbing Discovery: Bodies of Vanished Mother and Child Found in Freezers in Austria

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The bodies of a 34-year-old woman and her young daughter, 10 have been discovered inside freezers in an apartment in the western part of Austria.

The victims, a Syrian woman and her daughter, who had been missing for several months, were found on the end of last week. The cooling units were hidden behind a plasterboard wall in the flat, located in the Innsbruck area.

Two men, a 55-year-old Austrian and his 53-year-old brother, were taken into custody in the month of June. The 55-year-old, a colleague of the female victim, informed authorities last week that there had been an accident—but rejected intentional killing.

Speaking to reporters recently, a official for the state prosecutor said the brothers were being kept in custody on "high likelihood of intentional killing".

The identities of those implicated have been withheld by authorities, in accordance with local legislation.

The family's disappearance was initially flagged by the cousin of the mother, who lives in Germany, on the 25th of July last year.

Police revealed the 55-year-old suspect claimed at the time she had gone on an prolonged visit with her child to travel to her relatives in Turkey.

The victim's bank card was then found to have been used in foreign locations on multiple occasions.

But when police examined the woman's home, her mobile phone was located.

Someone also reported hearing a loud noise in the apartment, and cries of "mum" on the day the two were thought to have disappeared.

An expanded criminal probe was launched, with authorities finding various messages sent from the victim's mobile—including a resignation letter to her employer and communications to the male colleague.

Law enforcement said a significant cash transfer was also transferred to the man.

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Katja Tersch informed media representatives on that day that a storage facility had been leased before the victims' disappearance and a freezer had been installed within.

The two suspects took out the appliance from the unit on the day the victims disappeared, Tersch said. And a shortly afterward, they acquired another freezer.

Officials say they believe this points to the fatalities were premeditated.

"The reason for their demise was not identifiable due to the condition of the victims," the official stated.

The prosecutor's spokesman—from the legal authorities—noted the specific order of occurrences is not yet known, but the bodies were professionally hidden and not discovered during a prior examination.

Although the brothers were detained in the summer, it was only on November 12 that the elder brother admitted to an event and to concealing the remains. He rejects any murderous intent, authorities stated.

At the same time, his brother admitted to a attempt to hide evidence but rejected involvement in a killing.

The two suspects are presently in detention before court proceedings in detention centers in separate locations, approximately 189 kilometers away from each other.

Via a shared communication, the nation's official for women's affairs and Justice Minister declared the "alleged double murder... symbolizes the sudden and brutal end of two individuals and exposes a cruel system".

"Female individuals are being murdered due to the mere fact that they are female," they added.

"Femicides are a profoundly embedded and issue affecting all of society that we must fight resolutely."

William Contreras
William Contreras

A financial analyst and tech enthusiast with over a decade of experience in market trends and digital innovation.