Coonabarabran: Children removed from parents before alleged murder
The grandmother was the sole carer of the children, Holland said. They moved to Coonabarabran 11 months ago from the state's Central Coast.
Holland said the small town with a population of just 2500 was coming to terms with the boys' deaths.
Something like this would affect the community 'in a very, very hard way,' he said.
'A death in a small community has an impact on the whole community, the death of two young innocent boys has a major impact.'
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The Department of Communities and Justice became involved in the children's care due to concerns for their welfare several years ago. One of the boys had diagnosed with cancer, sources told the Herald .
They were removed from their parents, who live elsewhere in the state, towards the end of the COVID pandemic. The boys were then put under the care of the minister and placed with their grandmother in what is called kinship care.
There are no other children in the family.
The boys' biological parents had been informed and were not doing well, Holland said.
'Anyone confronted with the death of one child under these circumstances, let alone two, would be struggling,' he said.
There were 'no warning signs' ahead of the tragedy, one police source said, and the grandmother had no criminal background or documented history of mental health concerns.
'She was known to police, but not adversely,' Holland said.
She and the children lived at the home with her partner, who was not present at the time of the tragedy.
Warrumbungle Shire councillor Kodi Brady described the boys as two 'little firecracker kids'. Credit: Nine
In a social media post describing the boys as two 'little firecracker kids', Warrumbungle Shire councillor Kodi Brady said his 'heart is broken alongside the whole community'.
'They were amongst it all, 100 miles an hour ... wild as march hares and cute as buttons! So devastating for all,' Brady wrote.
If you or anyone you know needs help, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (and see lifeline.org.au), 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), the National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service on 1800 211 028 or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800.
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