Sanson deaths now being treated as homicide, police confirm

Police have confirmed they are now treating the fatal incident in Sanson on Saturday – where three children and their father died – as a homicide.

Police are continuing to comb through the scene of a house fire in Manawatū on Saturday, where the children and their father died.

Manawatū Area Commander Inspector Ross Grantham said the post mortem examination of the adult male has been completed and the three children are expected to undergo a post mortem tomorrow.

Grantham said police were not seeking anybody else in relation to this investigation.

“A forensic examination of the scene is ongoing, and it will take some time to get the results once that examination has been completed.

“A team of police staff are working hard to get answers for the family, but I want to stress to the public that we will not have these answers immediately.”

While police have not formally named the victims, it is understood the father was Dean Field, and the children have been named in a Givealittle campaign for their mother as August, Hugo and Goldie.

Earlier, Grantham said the father was not burned – but his three children, aged 1, 5 and 7, were.

The bodies of two children were recovered on Sunday night and were blessed by the family with karakia. The body of the father was removed earlier.

The third child’s body was recovered on Monday morning, Grantham said, by investigators supported by a forensic pathologist.

The Give A Little Page for the mother has now raised $300,000.

Police remained at the scene of the fire today.

A reporter saw three marked police cars and four unmarked outside what was left of the property. Police in white protective clothing could be seen inside, while a scene guard remained out front.

A Fire and Emergency NZ investigator arrived just after 11am.

Family Violence

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