- An elderly couple is believed to have been killed by a sheep
A sheep is believed to be responsible for the death of an elderly New Zealand couple whose bodies were found in a pasture.
The NZ Herald reports a couple, both in their early 80s, were found dead by their son in their rural estate in Waitakere, west of Auckland, early on Thursday morning.
He had gone to check on the couple after not hearing from them.
Police suspect a ram was behind the deaths, with Herald reporters having located and killed the animal on the couple’s hobby farm.
“Two people have been found deceased in a paddock on the Anzac Valley Rd property,” a police spokesperson said.
‘At this stage the circumstances of the death are unexplained.
‘We maintain contact with family locally.’
It is understood the man had gone to check on the ram but never returned. His wife then went to check on her husband, but never came home.
Dean Burrell, the cousin of one of the dead and a spokesman for the family, told news channel Stuff that the couple had “both lost their lives in a tragic accident”.
A sheep is believed to be responsible for the death of an elderly New Zealand couple whose bodies were found in a pasture (stock image)
‘They are good people. They are over 80. They don’t deserve this,” he said.
‘Everyone is shocked by what happened. They are very upset.”
Mr Burrell said the couple had not communicated with their family for several days.
‘Everyone is shocked by what happened. They are very upset. I feel like I dreamed it. It was a bit of a shock when I heard what had happened, but I just didn’t believe it.’
Burrell’s father had called him to tell him the news.
“So I came here to support my cousins and the rest of the family.”
St John medics attended the property early on Thursday with two ambulances, with a heavy police presence throughout the day.
A neighbor who has known the elderly couple for years and does not want to be named describes them as a ‘very quiet couple’. NZ Herald reports.
The neighbor said the man who lived on the property had been a farmer all his life.
“He was a very good cattleman,” the neighbor said.