Heartbreak as Aboriginal brothers, aged 3 and 5, are both found dead in a river following a desperate overnight search after they went missing from their home
- Two Aboriginal brothers have been found dead in a river after going missing
- The two boys aged three and five were discovered lying in the Ross River
- An amber alert was issued by police on Monday after they went missing
- Boys were last seen in chilling CCTV footage walking towards the river
Two young Aboriginal brothers have both been found dead in a river after they went missing from their home.
Barak, five, and Jhulio, three, were discovered lying in the Ross River near Cranbrook in Townsville just before 7am on Tuesday.
The boys were seen alive for the last time in chilling CCTV footage, the eldest wearing his school uniform, as both walked towards the river.
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Two young Aboriginal brothers Barak (left) and Jhulio (right) have both been found dead in a river after they went missing from their home
The boys were seen alive for the last time in chilling CCTV footage, with one wearing his school uniform
An amber alert was issued by police on Monday after the boys went missing from their home in the suburb of Cranbrook about 5.30pm
An amber alert was issued by police on Monday after the boys went missing from their home in the suburb of Cranbrook about 5.30pm.
The boys' heartbroken mother Leeann desperately asked for help before her children were found dead.
'Mum is missing you boys so much,' she posted to Facebook.
'F**k me man my two babies have been missing since 5.45. I got eight police cars at my house and everyone on foot looking for them please keep a close eye out for them on the streets... they just walked off. Please help Townsville.
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'I am so tired and empty.'
Just before their bodies were found, their mother thanked those involved in the search for her 'two wonderful boys'.
Senior Sergeant Ian Wilkie said a member of the public saw the boys swimming in the river.
'We've conducted a search and unfortunately tragically for the family involved and the boys, we located both of those boys deceased near each other,' he told The Today Show.
'We all know it has been a challenging month for Townsville as it is and the entire community pitched in to search for these boys.
The boys' heartbroken mother Leeann desperately asked for help before her children Barak (left) and Jhulio (right) were found dead
'It is certainly distressing for us and we can only imagine what the families are going through and our heart and thoughts are going to them. The grief I could imagine would be unbearable for them.
'We hoped for a better outcome. Unfortunately that wasn't to be... the community came out in force last night. We were hearing stories of dozens of people searching in various areas, going and buying batteries for torches. We do thank them for the assistance in this.
'Unfortunately, it wasn't to be.'
Before the boys were found, Senior Sergeant Wilkie said a search for the two children was being carried out by more than 60 police officers with assistance from fire crews and State Emergency Services volunteers.
The two boys, aged three and five, were discovered lying in the Ross River near Cranbrook in Townsville on Tuesday morning
Senior Sergeant Wilkie said the boys often played at Cranbrook Park but they did not come home at their usual time.
Their bodies were eventually found close to the park.
A police helicopter joined the search for the children overnight, as officers on motorbikes drove up and down the Ross River looking for the boys.
'We do believe that the boys, given their age, are quite possibly frightened and that they are small, they are curled up somewhere,' Senior Sergeant Wilkie said.
Senior Sergeant Wilkie said the boys' family was 'distraught and upset' after the two went missing.
The two boys were seen walking towards the Ross River on a CCTV camera on Monday afternoon.
About 100 Cranbrook residents helped with the search overnight, with some saying they couldn't sleep without knowing where the boys were.
Both boys were seen walking towards the Ross River (pictured) before their bodies were found on Tuesday
