Young family and friend who died after car broke down in Outback just a 10-minute drive from water

Rick Scott files suit accusing Dem officials in Florida of 'trying to steal the election' after his narrow Senate victory, while a mystery ballot box is found two DAYS after the vote... then Trump wades in
'I don't want prayers, - I want gun control': Mother of Vegas massacre survivor makes heartbreaking plea after her son is among the 11 killed at Borderline Bar - where Stephen Paddock's victims gathered to support each other
High-ranking NYPD cop who cracked the Queens jogger case recalls his dramatic first encounter with the man who brutally 'raped and strangled' Karina Vetrano
Ex-Filipino First Lady Imelda Marcos, 89, faces years behind bars as court finds her guilty of seven counts of corruption when her husband was in office and issues warrant for her arrest
Democrat mom of black teen shot dead by a white man at a gas station in row over loud music wins longstanding Republican U.S. House seat after her emotional campaign calling for gun control
Michelle takes on Trump: Obama slams 'misogynist' president for his treatment of Hillary, says she can't forgive his 'reckless' birther talk and claims the Access Hollywood 'p***ygate' tape was him saying, 'I can hurt you and get away with it
Whitey Bulger's politician brother and jailed girlfriend's twin sister lead just a dozen mourners at murdered mobster's low key funeral
Democrats demand Florida recounts which could hand governorship to Andrew Gillum after all and return Senate seat to Bill Nelson
Harrowing video from inside the Borderline Bar shows ex-Marine with PTSD, 28, firing shot after shot at his victims as he carries out his massacre which killed 11
Tattooed ex-Marine who killed 11 people in country music bar massacre had PTSD: Gunman, 28, 'terrified' his mother and neighbors after returning from Afghanistan tour before he opened fire on student night
'I wasn't afraid to sacrifice myself': Quick-thinking hero saved dozens of lives by smashing a window with a bar stool and pushing people to safety to escape ex-Marine shooter
'Yeah... I'm insane, but the only thing you people do after these shootings is 'hopes and prayers'': Final chilling Facebook post of ex-Marine with PTSD that he wrote MOMENTS before he gunned down 11
'Our hearts are broken': Sister, Sister actress Tamera Mowry-Housley reveals her 18-year-old niece was killed in the California bar mass shooting
Pictured: An aspiring soldier, two bouncers and multiple students are among the 11 killed after California bar mass shooting
It's Kendall's night! Jenner rules the Victoria's Secret runway with her fun, flirty attitude as she dazzles alongside BFFs Gigi and Bella Hadid while Elsa Hosk proudly parades the $1m Fantasy Bra
Adriana Lima breaks down in TEARS while on Victoria's Secret runway... after confirming her exit following 19-year reign
Victoria's Secret models have fun as they take selfies and goof around backstage at Fashion Show
Paradise lost: Raging rapid wildfire reduces California city to ashes as inferno sparks evacuation of 27,000 residents burning down a hospital, a gas station, hundreds of homes and leaving 'multiple people dead'
'I love the idea of nearly being caught': Sales professional in her 30s reveals why she has been secretly cheating on her 'vanilla' husband for five years
Saudi Arabia considers disbanding oil production cartel OPEC amid growing pressure following Trump criticisms and Jamal Khashoggi murder
'I can't afford to move to Washington!': Socialist hero Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reveals she needs to cash her first paycheck from $174k House salary next year before she can get a DC apartment
From sleeping with your boss to getting frisky with a friend: Therapist decodes what your sex dreams really mean
Outrage as 'registered nurse and ex police officer' went to vote wearing a shirt emblazoned with a noose, Confederate flag and the phrase 'Mississippi Justice' - and it's totally legal (but it did cost him his job)
Utah man, 55, who allowed BATS to fly into his house and fed them from his bare hands becomes the state's first rabies death since 1944

Three were found dead near a broken down car in the Outback on Wednesday
A 12-year-old boy's body was then found a day later 120 metres from the others
Their abandoned car was surrounded by food and water in 40C (104F) heat
But the group were less than a 10-minute drive from water around 18km away

By Charlie Coë and Alex Chapman For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 01:02 EST, 9 November 2018 | Updated: 01:03 EST, 9 November 2018

e-mail

The young family and their friend found dead in Australia's unforgiving Outback after their car broke down were less than a 10 minute drive from water, it has been revealed.

The bodies of a yet unnamed young couple, both aged 19, and their three-year-old son were found in the Northern Territory on Wednesday, 4.5km away from their broken-down car.

The body of a 12-year-old boy was found a day later at around 2pm just 120 metres away after a desperate air and land search.

The young family and their friend found dead in Australia's unforgiving Outback after their car broke down were less than a 10 minute drive from water (pictured Willowra where they started their ill-fated journey)

The car and the bodies were found 18km from the Jarra Jarra community on a dry but unsealed access road.

The vehicle had a flat tyre and had run out of fuel.

Jarra Jarra would have been the nearest water source and it would have taken around ten minutes to drive the short distance.

It is not known why the car broke down but it is understood there was no mobile phone coverage.

The alarm was raised by a man at an Aboriginal health clinic at remote Willowra (pictured) just before 12.30pm on Wednesday

Their deaths have been attributed to hyperthermia and starvation after what was meant to be a five-hour commute turned into five days in the wilderness.

Police are continuing to search the remote region, about 60km from the remote indigenous community of Willowra, for any other passengers.

Authorities said the 12-year-old had 'broad family linkages' with the deceased family.

Out of respect for the families involved, the authorities will not release the hometowns of the dead or say which specific community they belonged to.

The group had left Willowra with plans to travel to Jarra Jarra, 500 kilometers north of Alice Springs.

But roughly halfway through the five-hour trip, their car broke down.

The car and the bodies were found 18km from the Jarra Jarra community on a dry but unsealed access road (pictured)

The teenage parents left morsels of food and water at their abandoned car and attempted to find help in the Jarra Jarra community.

They never made it that far, and even if they had police said there was no-one living in the isolated community at the time.

An alarm was raised by a 'distraught' man at an Aboriginal health clinic at remote Willowra who found their dead bodies just before 12.30pm on Wednesday.

Ryan, the manager of the Ti-Tree Roadhouse in Ti Tree, the community where the car set off from on Friday, said the situation was tragic and he felt especially for the youngest victim.

He said: 'I feel for the three-year-old the most - he would have had no idea what was going on. At least the rest of them would have known the trouble they were in.'

The governing Central Desert Regional Council, meanwhile, has offered their sympathy to the communities affected while saying the incident was 'a timely reminder of the harshness of the Australian outback'.

The searing heat reached 40C (104F) at the start of the week in Willowra and 38C (100F) on Wednesday before dropping off in the past few days.

Police are still continuing precautionary land and air searches to rule out anyone else being stranded in the Outback

Police are still continuing precautionary land and air searches to rule out anyone else being stranded in the Outback, according to The NT News.

Southern Desert Division Superintendent Jody Nobbs said: 'Although police have no information that suggests there were other passengers in the car, we will continue searches until we are satisfied that all areas of interest have been sufficiently canvassed.'

Police will prepare a report for the coroner while they scour the area.

The deaths were initially thought to have been caused by a car crash - but that was quickly ruled out as the tragic reality of the situation became clear.

Investigators were only able to arrive at the scene on Thursday due to flooding and the remoteness of the area.

The 12-year-old boy's body was found near the young family's corpses, after they had all left Willowra (inset) on Friday destined for nearby Yarra Yarra

'One of the avenues of inquiry that we're looking at is if people walked away from a broken down vehicle and may have suffered as result of that,' duty superintendent Shaun GIll said on Thursday.

Mr Gill said the two adults and child may have died several days ago, and NT Police stated in a press conference on Friday they believed the family could have been at the location since the day they set off .

'This does serve, unfortunately, as a timely reminder for anyone travelling on NT roads to ensure that when you travel your vehicle is in a fit state and that you have sufficient supplies including water and a first aid kit,' Superintendent Jody Nobbs said.

'Also make sure someone is aware of what your travel itinerary is — when you intend to leave, arrive and your anticipated routes.'

Mr Gill said an 'extreme weather event' may have caused the deaths.

It is not known why the car broke down but it is understood there was no mobile phone coverage for the stranded group (pictured Wirliyajarrayi near Willowra near where their car broke down)