By RNZ.co.nz and is republished with permission
The people found dead in a paddock in West Auckland have been identified as a pair of hobby farmers.
Police were called to a property on Anzac Valley Road about 7.30am on Thursday.
A spokesperson for the family, Dean Burrell, said the pair were in their 80s and lived alone. He said the death was not being treated as suspicious, and it involved an animal kept on their property.
“My auntie and her husband live at this property, they’ve lived here for about eight years. Unfortunately they’ve both lost their lives through a tragic accident.
“They’re nice people, they don’t deserve what happened. I guess it is what it is.
“The family are requesting privacy, please, and everyone’s in shock as to what’s happened. They’re very upset.”
A police officer took a bag back into a police car. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Burrell said the couple were hobby farmers and kept sheep, cattle and chickens.
“I feel like I was dreaming it. It was a bit of a shock being told what had happened and I just didn’t believe it, so I’ve come down here to support my cousins and the wider family.”
They were found by their son, and their deaths were not suspicious.
Burrell said the family had not heard from the pair in a couple of days.
He had been informed of the deaths this morning by his father, after his auntie’s son found the couple.
He said it had been a couple of days since family heard from them.
Police say the circumstances of the deaths are unexplained, Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Earlier, police said the circumstances of the sudden deaths were unexplained.
Officers were talking to the families of the victims.
A scene examination was under way.
