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The remains of a 34-year-old woman and her young daughter, 10 have been found inside freezing appliances in an flat in the western part of Austria.

The victims, a woman from Syria and her daughter, who had been missing for a number of months, were uncovered on the end of last week. The freezers were hidden behind a false wall in the flat, located in the city of Innsbruck.

Two men, a Austrian man, 55 and his 53-year-old brother, were detained in June. The elder brother, a colleague of the Syrian woman, told authorities last week that there had been an accident—but denied homicide.

Informing journalists previously, a representative for the legal authorities stated the brothers were being held on "high likelihood of intentional killing".

Personal details of those concerned have not been disclosed by law enforcement, in accordance with local legislation.

The family's disappearance was first reported by the cousin of the mother, who lives in Germany, on the 25th of July last year.

Authorities said the woman's colleague claimed at the time she had gone on an prolonged visit with her daughter to travel to her relatives in the nation of Turkey.

The mother's debit card was then noted as being active abroad repeatedly.

But when investigators examined the mother's apartment, her cellphone was located.

An individual also stated overhearing a loud noise in the apartment, and cries of "mama" on the day the pair were believed to have vanished.

A broader criminal probe was initiated, with authorities finding several texts sent from the victim's mobile—among them a resignation letter to her company and communications to the male colleague.

Officials said a four-figure sum was also transferred to the suspect.

Katja Tersch informed reporters on recently that a storage unit had been rented out before the victims' disappearance and a freezing appliance had been placed there.

The brothers extracted the appliance from the storage space on the date the mother and daughter disappeared, the official revealed. And a shortly afterward, they obtained a second unit.

Investigators believe they think this points to the deaths were premeditated.

"The reason for their demise could not be determined due to the advanced decay of the bodies," she stated.

Mayr—from the legal authorities—said the exact sequence of events is still unclear, but the bodies were professionally hidden and went unnoticed during a previous house search.

Although the suspects were detained in the summer, it was only on November 12 that the 55-year-old admitted to an occurrence and to hiding the bodies. He rejects any murderous intent, investigators said.

In a related development, his brother acknowledged a cover-up but denied awareness of a homicide.

The brothers are currently in custody awaiting trial in jails in Innsbruck and Salzburg, around 117 miles (189km) apart.

Via a shared communication, the nation's official for women's affairs and the top legal representative stated the "suspected killing of two... represents the swift and cruel conclusion of two human lives and uncovers a cruel system".

"Women and girls are being killed due to the sole reason that they are women and girls," they continued.

"Murders of women are a strongly established and society-wide problem that we must fight resolutely."