Cairns stabbing: 8 children found dead in Australian home

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Cairns stabbing: Children found dead in Australian home

CAIRNS: -- Eight children have been found stabbed to death at a house in the city of Cairns in northern Queensland, say Australian police.

There are also reports that a woman has been taken to hospital with stab wounds.

Police have cordoned off the house and detectives are searching the yard of the property in the Manoora suburb.

The details of the incident, and the woman's relationship to the children, are not yet clear.

Queensland Police said in a statement they were called to a residence in Murray Street at 11.20 local time (01:20 GMT) following reports of a woman with serious injuries.

"During an examination of the residence police located the bodies of the children, all aged between 18 months and 15 years," said the statement.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-30544493#"


-- BBC 2014-12-19

[webfact]

Eight children found dead in Cairns
AAP

CAIRNS: -- EIGHT children are dead and a woman is in hospital after a multiple stabbing in far north Queensland.

POLICE have confirmed the victims are aged between 18 months and 15 years.

Emergency crews were called to a home on Murray Street in the Cairns suburb of Manoora, around 11.30am on Friday.

A 34-year-old woman has been taken to hospital and is assisting with police inquiries but is not under arrest.

Cairns Regional Crime Co-ordinator Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar could not rule out that the number of deaths may rise.

The street has been cordoned off and a crime scene will remain in place for at least the next day, Det Insp Asnicar told reporters at the scene.

It was an "extremely distressing" scene for the first response officers, he said.

Detectives are speaking with neighbours and police have not yet established the relationship between all of the children and the woman.

Full story: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/multiple-stabbing-at-cairns-reports/story-fni0xqi4-1227161831855

-- Herald Sun 2014-12-19

[Farma]

So sad. Another report says they were discovered by an elder sibling of the dead children. There are also reports of 2 adults taken to hospital with the mother suffering multiple stab wounds to her upper body and around her neck.

[Camelot]

Australia is suffering a horrific build-up to Christmas week. It's just one tragedy after another.

My condolences, for what they're worth, to all the victims.

[LeungKen]

Australia is suffering a horrific build-up to Christmas week. It's just one tragedy after another.

My condolences, for what they're worth, to all the victims.

My sentiments exactly. What a waste of young innocent lives.

[RickBradford]

Manoora is a rather low socio-economic area of Cairns, with a very ethnically diverse population, and a reputation as a drinking and fighting kind of a place.

This is a terrible tragedy, but similar though less deadly acts of rage have not been uncommon there.

[slipperylobster]

Australia is suffering a horrific build-up to Christmas week. It's just one tragedy after another.

My condolences, for what they're worth, to all the victims.

I am not a religious man but I think that the Christ would turn over in his grave at what is being done in his name, and has been done as well.

Christ turned over in his grave about 2,000 years ago...then got up and left. That is why he is Christ.

The children are with him.

Edited December 19, 2014 by slipperylobster

[luckytrev]

Manoora is a rather low socio-economic area of Cairns, with a very ethnically diverse population, and a reputation as a drinking and fighting kind of a place.

This is a terrible tragedy, but similar though less deadly acts of rage have not been uncommon there.

True that Rick, its a tragedy, Anyone from Cairns, on hearing 'Murray street' would be shaking there head in sadness rather than disbelief.

[empireboy]

Australia is suffering a horrific build-up to Christmas week. It's just one tragedy after another.

My condolences, for what they're worth, to all the victims.

I am not a religious man but I think that the Christ would turn over in his grave at what is being done in his name, and has been done as well.

Christ turned over in his grave about 2,000 years ago...then got up and left. That is why he is Christ.

The children are with him.

I think Christ is still in His grave myself!

[tom21]

it is hard to believe and I hope they find out what happened

[empireboy]

Such a sad needless tragedy. My most sincere condolences to remaining family and friends!

[MrWorldwide]

Manoora is a rather low socio-economic area of Cairns, with a very ethnically diverse population, and a reputation as a drinking and fighting kind of a place.

This is a terrible tragedy, but similar though less deadly acts of rage have not been uncommon there.

True that Rick, its a tragedy, Anyone from Cairns, on hearing 'Murray street' would be shaking there head in sadness rather than disbelief.

I recall being quite shocked by just how bad some parts of Cairns were when I moved up there from Rocky (a town with it's own problems ..) in 2008 - I had this vision of the place as a tropical escape from the cities further south, but in reality it had high unemployment and major drug and alcohol problems. I agree that it's not completely surprising but the number of victims will put the person responsible on the kind of Wikipedia list very few Australians would want to make. Condolences to the surviving family / extended family.

[chooka]

Australia is suffering a horrific build-up to Christmas week. It's just one tragedy after another.

My condolences, for what they're worth, to all the victims.

I am not a religious man but I think that the Christ would turn over in his grave at what is being done in his name, and has been done as well.

what is being done in the name of Jesus Christ? I don't get the connection, maybe your muslim.

[transam]

[ggt]

Australia is suffering a horrific build-up to Christmas week. It's just one tragedy after another.

My condolences, for what they're worth, to all the victims.

I am not a religious man but I think that the Christ would turn over in his grave at what is being done in his name, and has been done as well.

Christ...my friend...lives...and will not be found in any grave...

[RickBradford]

Manoora is a rather low socio-economic area of Cairns, with a very ethnically diverse population, and a reputation as a drinking and fighting kind of a place.

This is a terrible tragedy, but similar though less deadly acts of rage have not been uncommon there.

True that Rick, its a tragedy, Anyone from Cairns, on hearing 'Murray street' would be shaking there head in sadness rather than disbelief.

I recall being quite shocked by just how bad some parts of Cairns were when I moved up there from Rocky (a town with it's own problems ..) in 2008 - I had this vision of the place as a tropical escape from the cities further south, but in reality it had high unemployment and major drug and alcohol problems. I agree that it's not completely surprising but the number of victims will put the person responsible on the kind of Wikipedia list very few Australians would want to make. Condolences to the surviving family / extended family.

I had (friendly professional) dealing with the Cairns police in the early 2000s and initially thought the guy (inspector level) was joking when he went on about Cairns' meth problem.

Later, I had the chance to talk to a nurse at Cairns Base Hospital as she recited the litany of bashings, muggings, Unidentified Drinking Injuries, overdoses, domestic 'accidents' and what-not they saw every night, and concluded that downtown Cairns of a night-time was a place to avoid. I stuck to the public bar of the Red Beret after that ........

There's no doubt that these inner-city Cairns locations are sad places with the potential for violence to erupt very fast. You could find yourself in a brawl in the Raintrees Tavern at 10am on a Monday morning ..........

If this tragedy sparks the authorities to take a long hard look at the city, that would be great, but I doubt they will -- protecting the tourist dollar comes first, second and third.

[Farma]

“DON’T let them take them away from us. God bless us. Forgive me for what I’ll do.”

The words from the mother the night before. She then proceeded to place furniture on the road and hand stuff to the neighbours saying she was going to make a new start

The latest news reports are saying she is assisting police with enquiries, undergoing mental health checks but hasn't been charged yet.

[metisdead]

An off topic debate about gun control has been removed as off topic to this thread.

[simple1]

The mother of seven of the children & Aunt to the other murdered child has now been arrested and held under police guard at hospital; media reports say she is expected to be charged later today.

Some people have been quoted by the media the mother was refering to God and so on. At this stage it appears the Mother was yet another religious nutcase; in this case from a Christian background.

[David48]

The mother of seven of the children & Aunt to the other murdered child has now been arrested and held under police guard at hospital; media reports say she is expected to be charged later today.

Some people have been quoted by the media the mother was refering to God and so on. At this stage it appears the Mother was yet another religious nutcase; in this case from a Christian background.

Relatives of Cairns stabbing victims comfort each other

The children, aged from 18 months to 15 years, were found Friday morning in Murray Street, Manoora, where a woman was also located with chest and neck wounds.

Police said they believed the 34-year-old was the mother of seven of the children. They said she was in a stable condition in Cairns Hospital and was helping with their enquiries.

Relatives and neighbours were in tears as news of the tragedy spread and police and emergency service workers were visibly distressed by the confronting scene.

From the ABC

.

[Mosha]

The mother of seven of the children & Aunt to the other murdered child has now been arrested and held under police guard at hospital; media reports say she is expected to be charged later today.

Some people have been quoted by the media the mother was refering to God and so on. At this stage it appears the Mother was yet another religious nutcase; in this case from a Christian background.

I have to say my 1st thought was a religious nutter.

[PHP87]

So Christian bashing is OK on TV, even before the facts are known?

[Old Croc]

Mersane Warria

[NeverSure]

So Christian bashing is OK on TV, even before the facts are known?

I'm not a mod or an expert about the forum. But my experience is that within limits posters are expressing their opinions. Certainly there's a lot of Muslim bashing.

I'm Christian, but if I'm going to dish it out then I'm man enough to take it.

Edited December 20, 2014 by NeverSure

[Scott]

Bashing is not permitted. At this point in time, members and readers seem to take a great deal of interest in the religious background of those making the news. Mild speculation is permitted, but protracted, off-topic discussion is not.

Please stay on topic and using the threat as a tit-for-tat type of discussion of Christianity vs. Islam will not be permitted.

[JDGRUEN]

Australia is suffering a horrific build-up to Christmas week. It's just one tragedy after another.

My condolences, for what they're worth, to all the victims.

I am not a religious man but I think that the Christ would turn over in his grave at what is being done in his name, and has been done as well.

what is being done in the name of Jesus Christ? I don't get the connection, maybe your muslim.

The child witness who was sent home in a taxi made reference to the woman talking about God -- "Papa God' and it is there to read in the article... But I have to say - that this kind of mindset and the ramblings about God reveal more that the woman was just extremely mentally ill -- and not doing anything inspired by religious teachings or practices in the area.

Therefore -- I believe posts referencing God are off the mark by a wide margin... the woman was a lunatic -- who knows what else she mumbled and rambled on about... I also made note by reading other reports on this crazy act that nothing about extreme religious practices or anything like a religious cult or anything religion related was reported...

[Chao Lao Beach]

the woman was a lunatic

Yes and she will be declared insane by the Aussie legal system and set free, of course she is insane, even more reason to lock this creature up for ever. Their is no justice system in Oz, only a legal system favoring the crims and lawyers.

[slipperylobster]

Australia is suffering a horrific build-up to Christmas week. It's just one tragedy after another.

My condolences, for what they're worth, to all the victims.

I am not a religious man but I think that the Christ would turn over in his grave at what is being done in his name, and has been done as well.

Christ turned over in his grave about 2,000 years ago...then got up and left. That is why he is Christ.

The children are with him.

I think Christ is still in His grave myself!

If so, then i think he is turning a lot.

[RickBradford]

I believe posts referencing God are off the mark by a wide margin... the woman was a lunatic

Quite. But if she had been Muslim, you would have found the world and its dog trying to distance her actions from her religion.

With the crime tape still surrounding the Sydney siege location, the well-known US magazine Time has moved swiftly:

Stop Linking the Sydney Siege to Islam

There is no point in trying to place him [Iranian-born perpetrator, Man Haron Monis], as some have attempted, in an overarching discourse of Islamist terrorism and history, because he was plainly not a terrorist, but a mentally disturbed individual

Whatever you want to say about other religions, linking any crime to the Islamic "religion of peace" is taboo. Just ask John Kerry.

[PHP87]

OT, but the US media barely gave this tragedy a mention.

But if a firearm were used instead of an edged weapon, it would have been big news in the States as the US media loves to exploit and demonize deaths by those evil guns...