Rural town to honour slain boys who ‘left us too soon’
Stephanie Gardiner |
A small plastic bow and arrow lies near a blue teddy bear and a toy lion, poignant symbols of two young lives cut short.
The colourful collection of toys, flowers and candles has been set up in tribute to two brothers who were found dead in a home on the outskirts of the small town of Coonabarabran, in northwest NSW, on Monday afternoon.
The deaths of the boys, aged six and seven, at the semi-rural property are being treated as a double murder.
Police are waiting to press charges against their 66-year-old maternal grandmother, who remains in a mental health facility in Orange.
“She’s still in hospital, still being treated,” a NSW Police spokeswoman said on Wednesday.
Several detectives and emergency service workers gathered on the driveway of the property, which remains cordoned off.
“It’s a circus,” a passing neighbour said.
NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Andrew Holland urged the town of 2300 to band together after the shocking deaths.
“Death in a small community has an impact on the whole community,” he told reporters outside Coonabarabran police station on Tuesday.
“The deaths of two young, innocent boys has a major impact.”
Community members have organised a candlelight vigil in Neilson Park, by the Castlereagh River, on Friday evening, also encouraging residents to leave their lights on in memory of the brothers.
“Let us come together to honour and remember the two little boys who have left us too soon,” the online notice said.
The event would be a “gentle reflection, remembrance and acknowledgement of our collective grief in this very sad time”.
Two junior police officers went to the home, located about 10km from the centre of the farming town, after a message sent to the communities and justice department triggered an emergency response.
They broke into the home to find the younger child’s body in the front bedroom, the older boy in another room, while their grandmother was nearby after trying to harm herself.
She was immediately arrested and taken to Dubbo hospital, before being transferred to Orange.
The deaths did not involve weapons and post-mortem examinations were due to be carried out on Thursday to confirm the cause.
The family moved from the NSW Central Coast to the quiet rural estate about 11 months ago.
The boys had been placed in the care of their grandmother by the department after concern for their welfare, Mr Holland said.
Warrumbungle Shire councillor Kodi Brady described the boys as “firecrackers”.
“They were amongst it all, 100 miles an hour, involved in soccer, karate, wild as march hares and cute as buttons!’ Mr Brady wrote on Facebook.
The grandmother is expected to be charged upon her release from hospital, which could be in coming days or weeks.
AAP
