8 Children Found Dead Following A Horrific Mass Stabbing In Australia
Police have sealed off a street in the city in north Queensland after the killing of eight children aged between 18 months and 15 years old.
By Sadho Ram — 19 Dec 2014, 11:45 AM — Updated almost 10 years ago
An Australian Mother Is Charged With The Heinous Murder Of 8 Children In Cairns
An Australian woman who was found with eight dead children at her home in Cairns has been charged with murder. Mersane Warria, 37, was charged with eight counts of murder on Sunday for the death of seven of her children and her niece. She was charged in a bedside hearing at a hospital in Cairns, where she is under police guard and recovering from stab wounds, Queensland state police said.
It has not been confirmed how the children died, though reports have suggested they were stabbed to death. Queensland Police Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar said officers are examining several knives in the home that could have been the murder weapon, but added that suffocation was also a possible cause of death.
Asnicar, who said the five fathers of the children had been informed, said police were investigating whether drug use was involved in the tragedy. "I want to make clear I'm not dismissing it," he said. "I'm saying that I can't discuss whether it's true or not."
Police have taken more than 100 witness statements and autopsies of the children, the eighth of whom was a niece of the charged woman, are expected to be completed later on Sunday, Asnicar said.
reuters.com
19 Dec: Eight children have been found stabbed to death near the town of Cairns in Australia, and a 34-year-old woman had been taken to hospital with stab wounds, several media houses reported
A 34yo woman is helping police after eight children were fatally stabbed in this Cairns home Details @TenNewsSydney pic.twitter.com/sLV5R1kLh9
— Hugh Riminton (@hughriminton) December 19, 2014
Police were called to the house about 11.20am (08:30am Malaysia time) after receiving reports of a woman with serious injuries. Police found the bodies of the children in a search of the home.
Scenes of terrible grief in #cairns after 8 children found dead in house. @abcnews @ABCFarNorth pic.twitter.com/mUyF1YXWA7
— Sharnie Kim (@sharniekim) December 19, 2014
The ages of the children reportedly range from 18 months to 15 years, all found in a home. The area is described as poor.
We can confirm Cairns detectives have established a crime scene & begun an investigation into the deaths of 8 children in Manoora today.
— QPS Media Unit (@QPSmedia) December 19, 2014
During an examination of a residence police located the bodies of the children, all aged between 18 months and 15 years. #Manoora
— QPS Media Unit (@QPSmedia) December 19, 2014
Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar told media the investigation was in very early days and couldn't confirm the relationship between any of the victims or the woman in hospital
VIDEO: Cairns Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar speaks about #Manoora deaths investigations. https://t.co/5IaHjZbXtx
— QPS Media Unit (@QPSmedia) December 19, 2014
But as per a report by the AP:
“Lisa Thaiday, who said she was the woman’s cousin, said the children were all siblings and that the woman was their mother. Thaiday said another sibling, a 20-year-old man, came home and found his brothers and sisters dead inside the house.”
ap.org
Detective Inspector Ascinar said specialists from Brisbane would be brought in to investigate, adding that there was no threat to the public in general
QLD Police: "There will be a number of specialists - including from brisbane…this is not a small job." pic.twitter.com/3kae6DWRRC
— brad esposito (@braddybb) December 19, 2014
“As it stands at the moment there’s no need for the public to be concerned, other than it’s a tragic, tragic incident.”
theguardian.com
Meanwhile, Australian PM Tony Abbott, calling the crime "gut wrenching" and the deaths of the eight children "an unspeakable crime" and "heartbreaking", has released a statement:
All parents would feel a gut-wrenching sadness at what has happened.
This is an unspeakable crime.
These are trying days for our country.
Tonight, there will be tears and prayers across our country for these children.
My thoughts are with the Queensland Police and all who have to respond to this terrible situation.
theguardian.com