Ruakākā double homicide: Northland police took nearly an hour to dispatch staff

Police on Tuesday investigation the Peter Snell Dr property. Photo / Tania Whyte

The two Ruākākā children allegedly murdered on Monday were dead before emergency services were called, Northland police have revealed.

The new information was disclosed after media questioned why police took close to an hour to send an officer to the Peter Snell Dr home after receiving a distressed call from a woman at the property.

A woman has since been charged with two counts of murder and will appear in the High Court at Whangārei on June 2.

Detective Inspector Bridget Doell, of Northland CIB, said police received a call from the woman to the non-emergency 105 line at 6.20am on Monday.

“The communicator spent a significant period of time on the call with the accused,” Doell said.

“Sadly, early investigations indicate the children were deceased prior to both the initial phone call and police arrival.”

Police previously said they received a call from the address at 6.25am but further analysis had resulted in the updated time.

The Advocate understands the call was received around 40 minutes before police on the night shift clocked off and the day staff began their shift.

Stuff reported an officer was sent to the home at 7.16am - just shy of an hour after they received the initial 105 call - and that police did not say what time the officer arrived.

The officer travelled from Oakleigh, police did not say from where exactly, to the home roughly a 15-minute drive away.

The children were found dead at a Ruakākā property on Monday.

Before they were dispatched, the Ruakākā Volunteer Fire Brigade was turned out to the scene at 7.08am as medical first responders but stood down en route.

A Hato Hone St John spokesperson said they could not comment on when they were contacted as the incident is under police investigation.

Doell said police will conduct a review of the call contact process and their response to it which form part of the criminal investigation process.

Northland police issued a statement late today that reassured the community they were looking for no one else in relation to the homicides.

“I am reaching out to reassure our community that this was a tragic event for everyone concerned and we understand there will be a sadness rippling throughout our community for some time to come.

“This is an incredibly distressing situation for the family involved, along with first responders and police who attended, and our thoughts are with everyone involved. We would also like to reiterate that we are not seeking anyone else in relation to this incident.”

The woman entered no plea when she appeared at the Whangārei District Court on Tuesday and was remanded in custody until her next appearance.

Judge Gene Tomlinson granted the woman temporary name suppression, including suppressing any identifying details of herself or the victims.

The judge allowed media to report on her appearance and publish photographs with identifying details removed, as the “eyes and ears of the community”.

Some of the woman’s family members left the courtroom in tears midway through the case and as she left the dock, a woman in the front of the public gallery shouted “love you babe”.