‘The boys are dead’: Gran’s frantic call before two kids’ bodies were found

A 66-year-old woman was arrested following the discovery of two deceased boys inside, one of whom had cancer since he was born. WATCH video of the police press conference.

Drone footage of the home where the boys were found dead. Picture: TNV

One of two little boys found dead in their grandmother’s Coonabarabran home had been battling cancer since he was born.

Sam, 6, and his brother Max, 7, could not be revived when emergency services were called to the Emu Lane property on Monday afternoon

As news of their tragic deaths spread through the close-knit rural community on Tuesday, the boys’ karate instructor paid tribute to the pair, describing them as “good kids”.

Their 66-year-old grandmother remains under police guard in hospital after she was arrested when officers were called to her Emu Lane home on Monday and found the boys bodies.

Police sources said it appeared they had been suffocated, with a post mortem expected to be carried out today.

Coonabarabran local Peter, who taught the two Coonabarabran Public School students karate, said the boys would come to class with their grandmother, who was a regular helper.

“They were good kids, quiet kids. They’d been doing karate now for about 12 weeks,” Peter said.

“They were learning and achieving really well, they were going to get their yellow belts in the next few weeks.

“To be honest, when I found out what had happened yesterday, I was amazed.

Two boys were found dead in Coonabarabran on Monday afternoon. Picture: TNV Picture:

“Their grandmother would come along to class with them and help out. She was so willing to get in here and hold the bags, with all the different kids kicking the bags and stuff, she didn’t shirk it.

“The younger boy apparently had cancer from birth.”

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Andrew Holland said the boys were found in separate rooms within their grandmother’s home.

He praised the two police officers who responded to the Triple Zero call, and found the dead children, then stopped the grandmother who was at that moment attempting to end her own life.

“She did try to self harm in a way that was to take her and the children out... the police involved did a fantastic job,” Assistant Commissioner Holland said.

“It’s a confronting tragedy that shouldn’t have occurred; two young kids being looked after by their maternal grandmother in small country town. These things shock small country towns,” he said.

“The town needs to band together now and understand this has happened … The action of the young police officers involved has been heroic.”

The woman was taken to the local hospital and has been transferred to a mental health facility for treatment.

A photo of the boys, Sam, 6, and Max, 7, who died in a Coonabarabran house.

Assistant Commissioner Holland said the grandmother was “known to police but not adversely”.

“There’s only one other record of police being involved with the family and that’s some years ago”.

He said the boys’ biological parents, who live on the Central Coast, have been notified about the tragedy and were”not doing well, is probably the best way to put it”.

Earlier, NSW Fire and Rescue arrived at the property, which is among a small number of residences and industrial farm buildings along the red dirt road off the Oxley Hwy.

Kitted out firefighters with helmets and masks entered a large shed armed with a hose, which was never used before the firefighters reemerged.

NSW Police forensic officers remained at the scene taking photos of the shed.

It came as specialist police continue painstakingly sifting through the home in rural NSW where the two little boys were found dead, after their grandmother called authorities to alert them to the tragedy.

Police discovered the bodies of the brothers, aged six and seven, when they forced their way into a Coonabarabran property on Monday after a 66-year-old woman rang the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) to say her grandsons were dead.

The grandmother was arrested at the scene and taken to a local hospital for assessment, where she spent the night under police guard.

She is expected to be charged with the childrens’ murder.

Traumatised locals said the woman and two boys had only moved to the tiny rural community from the Newcastle region about 11 months ago.

The children lived just with their grandmother and attended a local school.

Local councillor Kodi Brady posted on social media describing the kids as “cute as buttons”.

“My heart is broken alongside the whole community. Two firecracker kids. They were amongst it all, 100 miles an hour, involved in soccer, karate, wild as march hares and cute as buttons. So devastating for all,” Mr Brady wrote.

“If anyone needs anything at all, a shoulder to lean on, a cuppa or just a yarn, please sing out”.

The 66-year-old woman and two boys had only moved to the tiny rural community from the Newcastle region about 11 months ago. Picture: TNV

Senior police sources told The Daily Telegraph the grandmother contact DCJ shortly after 1.30pm claiming the two boys in her care were dead. It is not known if the family was already known to the department.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said on Monday the death of two young boys was an “absolute tragedy”, and that every resource would be made available for both local police who responded to the call for help, and for the distraught family and community.

The Coonabarabran house where the dead children were found.

“This is a truly horrific tragedy involving children so young. Our hearts go out to the family of these boys, and to the entire community who will be devastated by what has happened today,” Ms Webb said.

She said additional police resources were already on the ground in the tiny community, which has a population of about 2,500 people, and homicide detectives were expected to arrive later in the night.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said it was a terrible day for the community and his thoughts were with them.

“What has occurred is terrible and as a state we share in the community of Coonabarabran’s grief at the loss of two young boys who had their entire futures ahead of them,” he said.

“I can not begin to imagine the heartbreak their loved ones are currently feeling, including their family, friends, and teachers.

“I thank the local officers who attended the scene for their professionalism and bravery in the face of such a horrible event.”

Dozens of police vehicles filled the rural laneway as police began the task of piecing together the children’s final moments before they were allegedly killed.

Strike Force Darnum has been set up to investigate the tragedy.

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Originally published as ‘The boys are dead’: Gran’s frantic call before two kids’ bodies were found