Johannesburg - A Free State couple and their children were found dead inside a burning house on Thursday morning.
While the parents did not have visible wounds, the children had stab wounds and their throats had been slit.
Police are trying to piece together what happened and a post-mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of their deaths.
Free State police spokesperson Colonel Thandi Mbambo said they were informed of a house that was on fire on Victoria Road, Bloemfontein on Thursday at around 5am.
Firefighters rushed to the scene to put out the blaze.
“On (the police’s) arrival at the scene, after the fire brigade had extinguished the fire, four bodies – that of the father, mother and two children – were found,” Mbambo said.
“The father, 56, and mother, 50, had no visible injuries whilst the 17-year-old girl and 14-year-old boy were found with stab wounds and their throats were slit.
“A preliminary investigation suggests that there was no forced entry but the investigation continues to determine what actually transpired.”
In May, Free State police opened an inquest following the discovery of the decomposed bodies of a family of six in Thaba Nchu.
The bodies of the family, said to be from the Democratic Republic of Congo, were found in various rooms.
It is not known what led to their deaths. At the time, police said there were no visible injuries.
Mbambo said at the time that an employee of a hardware store went to Thaba Nchu police station on Wednesday, May 26, to report that he had not seen his employer, who is the owner of the store, for 10 days.
Officers then went to the address the man gave them.
“Upon arrival, the officers were welcomed by a foul smell and flies coming from the house. They gained entry through the window as the doors were locked.
“Inside the house, they found the lifeless bodies of a male, estimated to be 44 years old; two girls aged, about eight and 10; and a boy, estimated to be about three years old.
“Inspecting further in the bedroom, a lifeless body of a female, estimated to be about 38 years old, was found and the body of another boy, aged about 11 years, was found in the bathroom. No physical injuries were seen on the bodies but all were found bloated.
“It is alleged that the deceased are from the Democratic Republic of Congo and were staying in Thaba Nchu. A post-mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death,” Mbambo had said.
IOL