Police have launched a homicide inquiry after the body of a dead male and a badly injured woman were found in a house in Burrows Place, Ilam Christchurch yesterday evening. The woman's current condition in Christchurch Public Hospital is serious but stable.
Detective Inspector Greg Williams says that inquiries have established that the woman and her two children, all of Kenyan descent, moved to the address four weeks ago after she separated from her husband.
Police were called to the address after there were concerns from friends who had not heard from her or her husband.
A deceased man and a badly injured woman were found and police and ambulance were called. Work has still to be done to identify the body but it is not believed to be the woman's husband.
Inquiries have been made to locate her husband and it appears he left New Zealand on Sunday morning and travelled to Kenya.
"We are unsure what has occurred between late Friday and Sunday morning," says D I Williams. "There are indications that the husband may be involved."
An area canvas and inquiries will try to establish events and movements around the house over the last few days.
The body is still at the house and the post mortem expected to be either later today or Wednesday.
Media briefing
D I Greg Williams will be at the Burrows Place address at 10.45am this morning.