BROOKFIELD, VIC. — Detectives from the Melton Crime Investigation Unit have located what appear to be human remains as part of an investigation into the disappearance of a Brookfield toddler in 2014.
The child was not reported missing at the time.
Police have confirmed that the remains of an 18-month-old baby were found in the backyard of a Brookfield home. It is understood that the toddler lived at the premises with their Albanian immigrant parents and two siblings. Police understand the family returned to Albania.
It is not known if Victoria Police have contacted Albanian authorities, but Australia does have an extradition treaty with Albania.
Melton Crime Investigation Unit commenced an investigation into the matter earlier this year, and on Monday, December 8, with assistance from the Missing Persons Squad, Australian Federal Police, Major Crime Scene Unit and the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, the property was searched.
A preliminary excavation of the area uncovered the yet to be formally identified human remains around 1.30pm.
The coroner has been advised. A postmortem will occur in due course.
The Missing Persons Squad will now assume primacy of the investigation, which remains ongoing.
The current residents of the property have no knowledge or connection to the investigation or to the people who lived at the property at the time.
