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Australia deaths: Family found dead near broken-down vehicle in outback | Australia deaths: Family found dead near broken-down vehicle in outback |
(about 20 hours later) | |
Four people have been found dead after a vehicle broke down in outback Australia, police say. | |
The bodies of two adults, both 19, and their three-year-old son were found near a remote road about 1,000km (620 miles) south of Darwin on Wednesday. | The bodies of two adults, both 19, and their three-year-old son were found near a remote road about 1,000km (620 miles) south of Darwin on Wednesday. |
Northern Territory Police searching for a 12-year-old boy from the group say they have found the body of a child near the car. | |
The deaths are not being treated as suspicious. | |
Authorities are investigating whether heat may have contributed to the tragedy. | |
The group was last seen leaving Willowra, a small community, on Friday. The adults and toddler were found about 4.5km from the vehicle. | |
"One of the avenues we are looking at is that they have walked off from a vehicle in extreme weather and may have got caught out," Supt Shaun Gill told the ABC. | "One of the avenues we are looking at is that they have walked off from a vehicle in extreme weather and may have got caught out," Supt Shaun Gill told the ABC. |
"Initially we thought it was the result of a car crash, however we are confident it's not." | "Initially we thought it was the result of a car crash, however we are confident it's not." |
After an extensive search, police found the body of a child about 120m away from the vehicle late on Thursday. | |
"A formal identification of the child is yet to be undertaken and as such, police are unable to confirm it is the body of the 12-year-old boy," they said in a statement. | |
Police said the alarm had been raised by a man who entered a health clinic in Willowra on Wednesday. | Police said the alarm had been raised by a man who entered a health clinic in Willowra on Wednesday. |
"He will be a critical part of the investigation. He is quite distraught about what he has found," said Supt Jody Nobbs. | "He will be a critical part of the investigation. He is quite distraught about what he has found," said Supt Jody Nobbs. |
Supt Nobbs said he could not give additional details, nor confirm whether the older boy was related to the family. | |
The search is continuing as police say they cannot confirm whether there were other passengers in the car. | |
Temperatures in the region exceeded 40C in recent days, according to Australia's Bureau of Meteorology. | Temperatures in the region exceeded 40C in recent days, according to Australia's Bureau of Meteorology. |
The tragedy follows the suspected heat-related deaths of two people in separate incidents in northern Australia within the last two weeks, the ABC reported. | The tragedy follows the suspected heat-related deaths of two people in separate incidents in northern Australia within the last two weeks, the ABC reported. |