Police set up cordons after two bodies were found at a property on Peter Snell Drive in Northland on 15 May, 2023.
Photo: RNZ / Nick Monro

Residents in the small Northland town Ruakākā are rallying around each other to grieve the tragic deaths of two children.

The woman charged with their murder cannot be named, and was remanded in custody without entering a plea in Whangarei District Court on Tuesday.

She entered the docks in a distressed state and members of her family filled the public gallery, some crying.

Judge Gene Tomlinson granted the woman and the victims temporary name suppression, including any identifying details such as their ages.

But he acknowledged the importance of the media as the “eyes and ears of the community” and allowed her appearance to be reported on, as well as photographs with identifying details removed.

The police launched a double homicide investigation on Monday, after being called to a house on Peter Snell Road about 6.25am and finding two children dead.

Detective Inspector Bridget Doell of Northland CIB on Tuesday morning said police had charged a woman with two counts of murder in connection with the deaths. She said police would not comment further now the case was before the courts.

On Tuesday, a pink teddy was placed outside a daycare centre.

A pink teddy was placed outside a daycare centre where one of the children who died attended.
Photo: Amy Williams / RNZ

Parents dropping off their children were visibly upset.

One father, Bucky Lewis, said the tragedy was hard to fathom.

“It’s a little bit eerie here. Everybody knows, and without mentioning it we can be a bit nicer to everyone.”

He said the community would rally around each other.

“I think we’ll all come together. It’s a pretty tight community, everyone knows one another.”

Long-time resident Phil Paikea, who ran a domestic violence prevention programme, led a karakia on Monday, while another was led at the house where the children were found.

Paikea did not know the family, but said relatives contacted him on Monday.

“They lived on our street, and I don’t know what sort of mental health the person was dealing with – whether they’d been flagged by social services… I’m not too sure.”

He said the relatives were deeply distressed.

“Devastated, absolutely devastated to say the least.”

Ruakākā a ‘safe place’

Although the tragedy had shocked the community, Paikea said Ruakākā was still a place where people could feel at home and safe.

“It’s a safe place and what happened was the act of an individual, not the community. It’s a beautiful community we have here, we’re very supportive of anyone that comes into our community.”

The community would gather Tuesday afternoon to support each other, and everyone was welcome, he said.

Doell said police and Victim Support were supporting all those involved.

“This is an incredibly distressing situation for the family involved, along with first responders and police who attended.”

She said there would be an increased police presence in the area for the next few days.

The woman charged in connection to the children’s deaths is next due to appear in the High Court in Whangārei on 2 June.