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The deceased of a 34-year-old woman and her 10-year-old daughter have been discovered inside freezing appliances in an apartment in the western part of Austria.

The deceased, a Syrian woman and her child, who had been missing for a number of months, were found on Friday. The cooling units were placed behind a false wall in the dwelling, situated in the Innsbruck area.

Two men, a 55-year-old Austrian and his 53-year-old brother, were taken into custody in June. The 55-year-old, a work associate of the Syrian woman, stated to police last week that there had been an accident—but denied homicide.

Informing the media previously, a representative for the legal authorities stated the two suspects were being kept in custody on "serious suspicion of homicide".

The identities of those involved have not been released by police, in compliance with Austrian law.

Their going missing was first reported by the female victim's relative, who lives in Germany, on July 25, 2024.

Investigators said the 55-year-old suspect informed them at the time she had taken an long journey with her daughter to travel to her relatives in the nation of Turkey.

The mother's debit card was then discovered to be utilized in foreign locations repeatedly.

However when police entered the woman's home, her mobile phone was discovered.

A witness also claimed overhearing a disturbing sound in the dwelling, and cries of "mama" on the date the mother and child were thought to have disappeared.

An expanded police investigation was launched, with investigators discovering various messages originating from the woman's phone—including a notice of quitting to her company and messages to the male associate.

Law enforcement confirmed a significant cash transfer was also transferred to the individual.

Katja Tersch stated to reporters on that day that a rented space had been leased before the mother and child went missing and a freezer had been installed within.

The two suspects took out the cooling unit from the unit on the day the mother and daughter went missing, the official stated. And a seven days after, they purchased another freezer.

Authorities say they believe this suggests the demise were planned in advance.

"The cause of death remains unclear due to the state of decomposition of the bodies," she said.

The prosecutor's spokesman—of the public prosecutor's office—stated the exact sequence of events is still unclear, but the bodies were expertly concealed and went unnoticed during a earlier inspection.

While the brothers were detained in the summer, it was only on November 12 that the suspect acknowledged an incident and to storing the victims. He denies any intent to kill, officials confirmed.

At the same time, his younger brother admitted to a concealment but denied awareness of a killing.

The brothers are currently in detention before court proceedings in jails in separate locations, situated at a distance.

In a joint statement, the nation's official for women's affairs and the top legal representative stated the "reported homicide of mother and child... constitutes the sudden and brutal end of a mother and child and uncovers a cruel system".

"Females of all ages are being killed due to the mere fact that they are of the female gender," they added.

"Gender-based killings are a deeply rooted and issue affecting all of society that we must fight resolutely."