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The remains of a mother aged 34 and her young daughter, 10 have been found inside freezing appliances in an flat in western Austria.

The victims, a Syrian woman and her child, who had been missing for a number of months, were found on the end of last week. The freezers were concealed 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 detained in June. The 55-year-old, a colleague of the female victim, stated to law enforcement last week that there had been an incident—but denied intentional killing.

Informing reporters recently, a official for the legal authorities said the pair were being kept in custody on "strong suspicion of intentional killing".

Personal details of those implicated have been withheld by authorities, in accordance with national regulations.

The family's disappearance was first reported by the woman's cousin, who is based in Germany, on July 25, 2024.

Police said the 55-year-old suspect informed them at the time she had gone on an prolonged visit with her child to see her family in the nation of Turkey.

The victim's bank card was then noted as being active overseas on multiple occasions.

But when police searched the mother's apartment, her smartphone was discovered.

Someone also stated listening to a loud noise in the apartment, and shouts of "mother" on the occasion the pair were believed to have vanished.

A broader police investigation was launched, with officers uncovering various messages sent from the victim's mobile—such as a resignation letter to her workplace and messages to the male associate.

Law enforcement stated a significant cash transfer was also transferred to the man.

The head of the State Criminal Police Office stated to the press on that day that a storage unit had been leased before the mother and child went missing and a freezing appliance had been placed there.

The two suspects took out the cooling unit from the facility on the date the mother and daughter disappeared, she said. And a week later, they obtained a second unit.

Officials say they think this suggests the demise were intentionally orchestrated.

"How they died could not be determined due to the advanced decay of the bodies," she commented.

A legal representative—from the legal authorities—said the specific order of occurrences is yet to be determined, but the remains were professionally hidden and not discovered during a previous house search.

Although the brothers were taken into custody in June, it was not until November 12 that the 55-year-old admitted to an event and to storing the victims. He disputes any plan to cause death, investigators stated.

In a related development, his brother acknowledged a attempt to hide evidence but rejected knowledge of a killing.

The pair are at this time in pre-trial detention in prisons in separate locations, around 117 miles (189km) apart.

In a joint statement, the nation's official for women's affairs and Justice Minister stated the "alleged double murder... symbolizes the sudden and brutal end of a mother and child and uncovers a brutal scheme".

"Females of all ages are falling victim to homicide due to the mere fact that they are women and girls," they went on to say.

"Murders of women are a deeply rooted and widespread concern that we must combat firmly."