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

Specialist police are sifting through a home in Coonabarabran after a 66-year-old woman was arrested following the discovery of two deceased children aged six and seven inside.

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

Specialist police will continue painstakingly sifting through a home in rural NSW where 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.

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

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”.

Two boys were found dead in Coonabarabran on Monday afternoon. 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.

“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