Updated
The family of two young sisters allegedly murdered in Melbourne's north-east on Easter Sunday say the loss has left them utterly devastated.
Emergency services found the bodies of Indianna, aged three, and Savannah, aged four, after they were called to a house on Longmuir Road in Watsonia yesterday afternoon.
Firefighters and paramedics spent 30 minutes trying to revive the girls but were unsuccessful.
A 35-year-old man, named as Charles Mihayo, was arrested and charged with two counts of murder overnight.
He is due to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
Police are yet to confirm his exact relationship to the two girls, but say he was known to them.
The family today issued a short statement to the media.
"We are utterly devastated at the loss of Savannah and Indianna. The girls will be forever missed, loved and never forgotten," the statement said.
"We ask that the media please respect our privacy and allow us time to grieve."
Assistant Police Commissioner Andrew Crisp said yesterday that a number of family members were present at the time of the girls' deaths, at what was believed to be their grandmothers' home.
"It goes without saying this is a tragic set of circumstances that has impacted on the family, and there were a number of family members here at the time," he said.
"It's first of all impacted on friends, neighbours, and also on members of the fire brigade and the ambulance services and members of Victoria Police that have attended the scene."
A neighbour who had met one of the girls described her as "sweet" and shy.
"She was a sweet little thing ... a lovely head of hair, a curly mop of hair and big brown eyes," she said.
"A very nasty incident."
Police have yet to say how the girls died or give details of any injuries.
Detectives escorted several family members through the house this morning.
Topics: murder-and-manslaughter, crime, courts-and-trials, law-crime-and-justice, watsonia-3087, vic, australia
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