n dead after Cairns stabbing Updated: 7:57 pm, Friday, 19 December 2014 The deaths of eight children - the youngest just 18 months old - in their Cairns home have shocked a nation still reeling from the deadly Sydney siege. The 34-year-old mother of at least seven of the children is in a stable condition in hospital with multiple stab wounds. Police at this stage say they have no formal suspects, as they begin what will be an extensive investigation into one of the worst single-family killings in Australia. Cairns Regional Crime Co-ordinator Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar says that will include interviewing anyone who may have had contact with the family recently. Everybody whos had any involvement at all in the past two or three days is a person of interest, told reporters on Friday. The womans cousin, Lisa Thaiday, told AAP the 20-year-old brother of the children found their bodies in the house in Murray St in the housing commission suburb of Manoora on Friday morning. Police swarmed on the house around 11.20am. She described the family and extended relatives as close-knit. Were a big family and most of us are from the (Torres) Strait, she said. I just cant believe it ... those poor babies. A 13-year-old girl said she walked two of her girlfriends to the Murray Street house on Thursday evening after they had been shopping. She said when they got to the house the older girls mother came out and gave her money for a taxi home. She was saying stuff about God and other stuff, she told AAP near the crime scene on Friday afternoon. She said: Papa God gave me the power to do anything. The woman also told the girl she was a warrior. The girl said she hadnt met the woman before but had been friends with her daughter for a while and was anxiously waiting with her own mother on Friday for news of her friend. We want to know if shes in there. Det Insp Bruno Asnicar said the house was still in lockdown with forensic experts processing the scene, before detectives could even enter the house. The street has been cordoned off and a crime scene will remain in place for now. He said they could not yet say when or how the eight children, aged between 18 months and 15 years, died and could not formally identify them at this stage. This is certainly a tragic and traumatic event, so many people deceased in one place. Its right up there with one of the most serious things Ive ever had to deal with, he told reporters. Police officers were travelling from Brisbane and Townsville - including intelligence, forensic and child trauma specialists - to assist with the investigation. This is not a small job, were not taking this lightly at all ... well cover every angle before this is finished. The local community has been numbed by the tragedy, with groups gathering at the nearby playground to console each other. Cristal Aitkinson left a bouquet of flowers at a childrens play ground near the crime scene on Friday evening. Holding back tears, the 17-year-old said she knew one of the victims and had come to pay her respects. Its just a great big shock to this area, especially with the (Sydney) siege, she told reporters. Local state MP Gavin King said the region had been left in complete and utter shock and disbelief. He said authorities would give priority to provide every support and counselling that friends and family will require. We are already discussing in terms of the broader community impact, and what we will need to do as a community to rally together and manage the collective grief. Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Queensland Premier Campbell Newman released statements, expressing their shock and sadness at the incident. Tonight, there will be tears and prayers across our country for these children, Mr Abbott said in a statement. Mr Abbott said these were trying days for the country still grieving the deaths of two hostages in the Sydney siege tragedy at the beginning of the week.
Posted on: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 11:24:57 +0000
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