The deaths of three young girls in Timaru has been another blow for the Canterbury town that last month saw five teenagers die in a car crash.
A homicide investigation is underway after three siblings, two, two-year-old twin girls and one six-year-old girl were found dead on Thursday night at their home.
Another person, believed to be a woman, was hospitalised in a stable condition.
Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson called it an “absolutely tragic event”.
“It will be distressing not only for the people of Timaru but also for the immediate people associated with the family and so our hearts go out to them.”
Robertson acknowledged that as it is a “live police investigation” he had to limit his comments but he heart goes “out to all them and their community".
It comes just weeks after the death of five teenagers on August 7, all killed when the overloaded sedan they were in, crashed into a power pole at the intersection of Seadown Road and Meadows Road in Washdyke, north of Timaru; hitting it with such force that the car split in two. Only the 19-year-old driver survived.
The three children, recent arrivals from South Africa, were found dead at a property on Thursday.
Inspector Dave Gaskin noted the three children's death are another blow for the community of Timaru, so soon after the car crash that killed several teenagers just north of the town.
"This is yet another tragically sad event for the residents of Timaru and people in the community will be feeling it," he added.
Police are providing support to those close to the victims and urge anyone from the community needing help to come forward.
Detective Inspector Scott Anderson told media on Friday the investigation is still its early stages and police are working to notify the next of kin.
Those involved had recently arrived from South Africa and had only been out of managed isolation in the past week.
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