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The day's events in Cairns
A traumatic day in Cairns to round off a rotten week. Here’s what we know:
- Police were called to a house in Murray Street, in the Cairns suburb of Manoora, at around 11.30am.
- They found a 34-year-old woman with a chest injury along with the bodies of eight children aged between 18 months and 15 years.
- The children had reportedly been stabbed to death, although police said they could not confirm this was the method of murder for all of the children.
- The 34-year-old woman is the mother of seven of the eight children, police said. Lisa Thaiday, a cousin of the woman, said the children are all siblings and are of Torres Strait Islander background.
- Police have said there are no formal suspects at this time, with investigation ongoing. However, they stress the public is not at risk.
- Tony Abbott called the tragedy an “unspeakable crime.” He added that “these are trying days for our country.”
- Bill Shorten, the opposition leader, said it was “just the saddest tragedy at the end of one of the toughest weeks for our nation,” in reference to the Sydney hostage siege that left two fo the hostages dead.
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Queensland police superintendent Russell Miller has said there are some “very unhelpful” social media posts surrounding the case. There’s video of him speaking here.
VIDEO: Superintendent Russell Miller's message to the Cairns community following the #Manoora tragedy. https://t.co/JhbQG20OdL
— QPS Media Unit (@QPSmedia) December 19, 2014
Some more from Asnicar’s press conference. The detective inspector said:
We don’t have any persons who are formally suspects, it’s early days, we’re speaking to a range of people, those who have have interactions with the family in the past two to three days.
A man was seen pacing outside the house, a reporter says. Was he first on the scene?
I’m not 100% sure of that, it’s a possibility. We beleive we’ve identified that man and we’re speaking to him presently. He’s not a suspect at this stage. We are talking to him to get a version of what occured.
Asnicar says the mother of seven of the eight children is the 34-year-old woman in hospital. He can’t confirm that all of the children were stabbed. He’s asked if the woman in a suspect.
As I said, anyone who’s had any involvement at all is a person of interest, we’re not talking about naming suspects at this stage.
Around a dozen police specialists, including forensic and intelligence staff, are being flown up from Brisbane. Asnicar admits this is a big challenge for the Cairns police force.
This is certainly a tragic and traumatic event with so many people deceased in one place. It’s right up there with one of the most serious things I’ve ever had to deal with.
Detective inspector Bruno Asnicar of the Queensland police has just given a press conference where he said there are no formal suspects at this time.
He added that the 34-year-old woman in hospital with a chest wound is the mother of seven of the eight deceased children. None of the children have been formally identified, however.
The police are about to hold a media conference and a key question is likely to be around the suspected perpetrator of this crime.
The 34-year-old woman in hospital with a chest wound is not in police custody. The police have already said the is no need for “public concern” over a further attack. More may become clear soon.
This really is grim. An awful week, both in Australia and internationally, whichever way you look at it. As Bridie mentioned before, Lifeline is there for those who are struggling with how things have unfolded.
The 24 hour phone line is 131 114 and the website is http://www.lifeline.org.au
Scott Forbes, of the Cairns Post, has appeared on the ABC to report that the family was “well regarded” by neighbours.
Meanwhile, Labor leader Bill Shorten has released a statement on the tragedy:
This is just the saddest tragedy at the end of one of the toughest weeks for our nation.
To the people who knew, loved and lost these beautiful children, none of us can imagine your pain, but all of us are with you in your grief.
How something like this could occur is beyond anyone’s comprehension. There is no greater evil than the killing of children.
This is a time for all of us to tell the people we care for, how much we love them.
Go home, hug your children, call your parents - because life is too short and too fragile.
For those in Cairns and are minded to go, there will be a candlelight vigil for the dead children at 6pm at Munro Martin Park. Details here.
Thanks to Bridie. What a week.
Gavin King, the state MP for Cairns, has just appeared on the ABC. King, a former editor at large at the Cairns Post, says there is a “sense of numbness” in the local community.
This area has had its ups and downs, but that’s not out of the ordinary, most communities have their ups and downs. I think something like this is such a shock, it’s completely out of the blue. It’s completely incomprehensible.
King notes the Sydney hostage siege and the death of 18-year-old Daniel Smith, who was mauled by a shark near Port Douglas, this week, calling it one of the “darkest weeks” he can recall.
It will take some time to get to grips with the scale of what’s happened here.
Ahead of the police conference in about 45 minutes I will hand over to my colleague Oliver Milman.
Queensland’s opposition leader , Annastacia Palaszczuk, has expressed sadness for the families of victims in a tweet.
The deaths of young children in Cairns is absolutely heartbreaking news. Our thoughts are with family and friends of the children.
— AnnastaciaPalaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) December 19, 2014
My thoughts are also with police and emergency services personnel responding to the tragic situation in Cairns.
— AnnastaciaPalaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) December 19, 2014
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We have footage of the media conference Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar gave near the house in Cairns where the bodies of eight children were found today. Another media conference is due in an hour.
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ABC reporter Sharnie Kim is in Murray Street in Cairns, the street of the home where the bodies of the eight children were found. She is reporting on the distressing scene there.
Part of the road has been blocked off and a police paddy wagon with lights flashing is at the property as well. I guess the most confronting thing is just seeing relatives and friends of the victims arriving on the scene and learning about these terrible events and being comforted by police, just sounding so unbelievably distressed.
Bodies of eight children found in Cairns - what we know
The bodies of eight children have been found at a home in Cairns in far north Queensland. Here is what we know:
- Police were called to the house in Murray Street, in the Cairns suburb of Manoora, before midday after reports of a woman with serious injuries.
- On examination of the house they found the bodies of eight children aged between 18 months and 15 years.
- The children had all been stabbed
- A 34-year-old woman is being treated for injuries in hospital and is assisting police with their inquiries. She is not in police custody.
- AAP is quoting Lisa Thaiday, a cousin of the woman, as saying the children are all siblings and it was their older brother, 20, who discovered their bodies.
- The premier, Campbell Newman, has called on Queenslanders to support each other through the next few days.
- The prime minister, Tony Abbott, has called the deaths “gut wrenching” and “an unspeakable crime”.
- Police will address media at 4.30pm Queensland time which is 5.30pm AEDT.
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Prime minister calls deaths "gut wrenching"
The prime minister, Tony Abbott, says the deaths of the eight children is “an unspeakable crime” and “heartbreaking”.
He released a statement saying:
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.
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Queensland premier calls on Queenslanders to support each other
The Queensland premier, Campbell Newman, calls on Queenslanders to reach out to each other in the coming days, saying the death of the eight children is a tragedy.
He said in a statement:
I am deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic events in Cairns today.
My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of those concerned.
Newman said the events would have an impact on emergency service workers and police officers and the acting ministers in Queensland would ensure they get the support they need.
Indeed, the whole Cairns community and the people of Queensland will feel the effects of this tragedy, particularly at a time of year when families come together.
I ask that all Queenslanders reach out to those who may need support in coming days and do not hesitate to seek professional assistance if needed.
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Warren Entsch, the federal member for Leichhardt, which covers Cairns, has labelled the incident a “terrible domestic tragedy”, my colleague Shalailah Medhora reports.
Entsch told Sky News the Torres Strait Islander community will be rallying around the relatives of the injured and deceased.
Family members will gather and support and comfort family, and that support will continue until and after the funeral. At times like this, families really come together. It shows you the bonds of the family.”
Entsch said the government stands ready to help.
It’s almost incomprehensible that something like this could happen. We will walk with them, we will sit with them and support them through this terrible tragedy.”
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I don’t really have the words to describe the depths of how horrific this story is. It comes at the end of a very difficult week for Australia.
It seems the right moment to insert Lifeline’s details for anyone struggling at the end of this awful, news-heavy week, in the lead-up to Christmas or just in general.
The 24 hour phone line is 131 114 and the website is http://www.lifeline.org.au
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AAP is quoting Lisa Thaiday, a cousin of the woman in hospital, as saying the eight dead children are all siblings and it was their older 20-year-old brother who discovered their bodies.
“I’m going to see him now, he needs comforting,” she said.
She described the family and extended relatives as close-knit. “We’re a big family and most of us are from the [Torres] Strait,” she said.
“I just can’t believe it. We just found out [about] those poor babies.”
About 20 to 30 people, including neighbours and locals, could be seen to be visibly upset and comforting each other at the scene.
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Specialist police officers are travelling from Brisbane to Cairns to help with the investigation. The house where the children’s bodies were found is a crime scene and will likely remain so for days.
Channel 10 reporter Hugh Riminton has tweeted this photo of the house where the body of the eight children were found.
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
Arthur Sinodinos, who announced his resignation from the frontbench today, has expressed his condolences to the Cairns incident, saying it puts into perspective any individual difficulties he’s experienced.
Sinodinos passed on his sympathies in an interview on Sky News.
Lisa Thaiday, a cousin of the 34-year-old woman, told AAP at the scene the children were all siblings.
The woman was their mother, she said.
Thaiday said another sibling, a 20-year-old man, arrived home to find his brothers and sisters dead inside the house.
A Cairns Post reporter has said it was a family friend who found the children.
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Scott Forbes, from the local newspaper the Cairns Post, has told ABC News 24 that the bodies of the children were discovered by a family friend who was visiting the house ahead of Christmas.
Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar said forensic officers were examining the Murray Street house now. He himself has not yet been inside, but has been briefed on the number of victims, my colleague Calla Wahlquist reports.
I can tell you that at this stage I believe there’s eight. As I told you at this stage the scene is locked down, that could go up or down.
Asnicar said he believed the ages to be between 18 months and 15 years.
I can tell you that I walked into this 10 minutes ago, I’m very new to this myself.
Aniscar said the police who first responded to the incident were distressed but acted professionally.
These events are extremely distressing for everyone, of course, and police officers aren’t immune to that, we’re human beings as well. But the police we have here are very highly trained and professional ... I’m very happy with the response.
This will be done to the nth degree and we will cover every angle.
When asked about reports a man had been seen standing in the front yard of the property, Asnicar said it was “the first I’ve heard of it”.
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Cairns Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar has warned the number of dead children could go “up or down” from eight, according to my colleague Calla Wahlquist who has transcribed the media conference he held in the street.
He would not say whether the children were all members of the same family, or whether the 34-year-old woman, who was found seriously injured and taken to hospital, was related to them.
He said the woman was in a stable condition in hospital and was helping police with their inquiries, but was not in police custody.
Asnicar said it was too early for him to comment on the detail of the crime, but said:
As it stands at the moment there’s no need for the public to be concerned, other than it’s a tragic, tragic incident.”
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A Murray Street resident, Stephen Lillingstone, has told my colleague Joshua Robertson the incident occurred on a section of the street that was almost exclusively publicly owned housing.
“That area where it is is a bit rowdy,” he said. “You get your flare-ups and everything.”
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The acting Greens leader, Adam Bandt, expresses condolences:
Terrible news from Cairns adds to a week of tragedy. Heart goes out to all who are sharing this sadness.
— Adam Bandt (@AdamBandt) December 19, 2014
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Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar has held a press conference in Cairns. There was no livefeed but we are on standby for a transcript.
We do know that Asnicar said the woman assisting police with their inquiries from her hospital bed in Cairns is not in police custody.
Police were called to the home in Murray Street in Cairns about 11.20am after reports of a woman with serious injuries. During an examination of the house they discovered the bodies of the eight children.
Officers from Cairns criminal investigation branch and the child protection and investigations unit are on scene, as well as forensics officers.
Murray Street has been closed. Police say they will not release further information at this stage.
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Queensland police confirm deaths of eight children
Queensland police media have released a statement confirming the deaths of eight children in Cairns. They were all stabbed.
They were aged between 18 months and 15 years old.
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The bodies of the children were found at a house in Murray Street in the Cairns suburb of Manoora.
A 34-year-old woman is assisting police with their enquiries.
Police are yet to officially confirm the number of deaths or the nature of injuries.
However, a far north regional crime co-ordinator, Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar, told Guardian Australia the public had nothing to fear from the incident, which officers now had in hand.
ABC reporter Sharnie Kim is at the scene and has posted this photo.
Murray Street in Manoora #Cairns blocked off. Police say 8 people including children killed @abcnews @ABCFarNorth pic.twitter.com/WqLx8zsNBo
— Sharnie Kim (@sharniekim) December 19, 2014
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Queensland police are investigating a horrific scene in Cairns in which at least seven children have been stabbed to death.
The children are reportedly aged between three and 14.
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