Ashburton deaths: Dad 'can't stop crying' for children

Family members arrive at the house where Cindy George and her three children died after a car was left running in an internal garage to keep the battery ticking over. Photo / Martin Hunter

Police believe mother and kids aged 2, 3 and 5 were accidentally gassed by car.

The father of three children found dead inside an Ashburton home with their mother cannot stop crying because he misses his "beautiful kids" so much.

Pio Scarlet Jetejura Raukete, 5, Teuruaa Junior George, 3, and Telyzshaun Gordon Ricardo Nelder Kruz George, 2, were found on Wednesday by a relative in a Thomson St house where they had been living with their mother Cindy George, 31.

Ms George's body was found in a hallway, while the children were all together in a bedroom where a television was going.

Police said the deaths looked to be the result of an accidental gassing.

Canterbury District Commander Superintendent John Price said a car was believed to have been left running in a garage to keep its battery ticking over. An internal access door connecting the house to the garage was open when police arrived on Wednesday.

Superintendent Price said the bodies could have lain undiscovered in the house for up to a week.

Ms George, who would have turned 32 next month, was born in the Cook Islands. A friend said she was a mother of five but the elder two stayed with relatives when Ms George moved to New Zealand.

She came to work in Ashburton five years ago with her then-husband John Raukete.

The couple have since divorced and the Weekend Herald understands he remarried last month in Rarotonga. He has a young son with his new wife.

The couple were too distraught to speak about the deaths yesterday.

Ms George was a member of Ashburton's Church of Latter Day Saints and Bishop Mora Pongia said the family were "dedicated" Mormons.

"The family is a very special family, everyone is so sad, it's such a big shock for everyone," he said.

"We all know them really well, she's a very strong woman, she has carried three young children."

Police officers form a guard of honour as the bodies of Cindy George and her three children are taken from the scene yesterday. Photo / Martin Hunter

Mr Raukete was devastated, said Mr Pongia.

"He was pretty sad, he can't stop crying, there is always tears in his eyes. He didn't say much at all except that he misses his children so much."

Mr Raukete and other family members went to the house yesterday and Mr Pongia performed a blessing.

Also present was the man who found the bodies.

"He is still in so much shock," said Mr Pongia.

He said there was a lot of support from the church and wider community, who adored Ms George and her children.

Last week, Mr Pongia shared special moments with the children.

"I was playing with the children, the three of them, right out the front of the church and I can't forget them - it was a special day," he recalled.

"Normally they leave with their mum but that was particularly wonderful.

"We shook hands and gave high fives and it's a wonderful day. I won't forget those beautiful children."

Ms George's parents still live in the Cook Islands. Her brother and sister live in Australia and are understood to be on their way to Ashburton.

Her family were too distraught to speak publicly yesterday but posted a number of tributes on Facebook.

Cindy George

"God please comfort my family for our loss. Fly high my aunty and three little cousins," said Ms George's niece Eireene Atingakua.

She posted a photo of the family and was letting relatives and friends know the details of their deaths.

"Rest in loving peace my beautiful aunty Cindy George and our baby cousins. Unbelievable and shocking that yous (sic) have left us too early."

Tony Vainerere, the Pacific community liaison at Presbyterian support and leader of the Cook Island community, said he knew Ms George well. "She was a nice person. She was bubbly and really outgoing.

"Last time I spoke to her was last Friday - I met her at the supermarket and we had a chat. She seemed well," he said.

"It's so unfortunate this has happened. Very tragic."

Mr Vainerere said the deaths were very hard on the family and the "tight-knit" community of Cook Islanders in Ashburton.

"But our people always come together at times like this," he said.

Ms George moved to Ashburton "four or five years ago" to work at the meatworks, Mr Vainerere said.

But she had been a fulltime mother to her three kids for the last couple of years.

"It will be hard not to see her around town. We'll miss seeing the smiles on the children's faces - unfortunately we won't be seeing them again. It's very hard for the community to take."

A section of Thomson St remained cordoned off for much of yesterday as police carried out a scene examination.

A blue police van with a large trailer parked outside the property just after 9am and officers in protective clothing were seen entering the address.

In the afternoon a procession of three hearses arrived in the street.

Shortly before the vehicles carried the bodies away from the tragic scene mid-afternoon yesterday, family members were escorted inside the house by officers.

As the cars pulled away a line of uniformed police officers created a guard of honour, removing their hats and bowing their heads as a mark of respect for the dead.

- Additional reporting Susan Strongman, Ashburton Guardian