The Papatoetoe deaths of three members of one family are under police investigation after officers were called to a home on Cambridge Terrace in South Auckland at about 6.40pm on Thursday. Police say they are not looking for anyone else and do not believe there is any risk to the wider public.
Detective Inspector Karen Bright of Counties Manukau CIB, the district’s criminal investigation branch, said in an NZ Police statement that officers were told a person had been found dead at the address. When they arrived they located that person and two others inside the home, and all three were pronounced dead. Police had not released the names or ages of those who died, or how they died, when this was written.
What police have confirmed about the Papatoetoe deaths
In an afternoon update on Friday, Counties Manukau District Commander Superintendent Shanan Gray confirmed the three people were family members. He said the family would be “reeling at the loss of three family members.” Police have not said how the three were related to one another. Counties Manukau is the police district that covers much of South Auckland, including Papatoetoe.
Bright said the investigation was at an early stage and that detectives were waiting for a scene examination to finish. That forensic work, she said, would help them piece together what led to the deaths. A section of Cambridge Terrace remained cordoned off on Friday, and police told residents to expect a heavier police presence in the area while the inquiry continues.
What police have not said about the Papatoetoe deaths
Police have not said what caused the deaths. They have not described the case as a homicide, a murder or any other category, and no one has been charged. Until that changes in the Papatoetoe deaths inquiry, the only confirmed facts are that three people from one family died at the address and that investigators are working to establish why.
The names and ages of the dead have not been released, and police have not said when they expect to do so. It is also unclear when the scene examination will be completed or when the cordon will lift. Police said further information will be provided as it becomes available.
How the community has responded
The Papatoetoe deaths have shaken the street. Neighbours told RNZ and NZ Herald they watched police and ambulances arrive on Thursday evening, and flowers had been left at the front of the property by Friday morning. One resident told RNZ the people who lived at the home had once helped him jump-start his car. Another neighbour told 1News they were in shock and described the household as a good family.
Manukau ward councillor Lotu Fuli called the deaths a huge tragedy. She said she had been told the family were quiet and friendly and got along well with their neighbours, and that she understood police were not seeking anyone else and saw no danger to the wider community. She added that she hoped to hear more from police soon.
The emergency response and support for those affected
St John said it sent one ambulance, a critical care unit and an operations manager to the scene. Fire and Emergency New Zealand said it sent three crews from Papatoetoe and Ōtara.
Police said they are supporting the whānau of those who died, and the neighbours, while the investigation continues. Whānau is the te reo Māori word for family. HCN found no announcement of any further community or government support services in the reporting reviewed, and will add details if police or local authorities publish them.
The timeline so far
Police received the first report at about 6.40pm on Thursday, 1 October, and a cordon went up around the street. Police published a further update on Friday morning, 2 October, New Zealand time, saying three people had died. By Friday afternoon, they had confirmed the three were from the same family. No cause of death, names or charges have been announced since.
For readers in the area, police have asked residents to expect more officers in the neighbourhood, and said the public is not at risk. The investigation into the Papatoetoe deaths is still in its early stages, and police have promised more information as it becomes available. Readers following other developing stories can find HCN’s report on the Christa Pike execution in Tennessee. HCN will update this story as facts emerge.
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