8 children stabbed to death IN Cairns tragedy: Mother in Hospital

People believed to be relatives of the victims
 grieve at the scene. Picture: AAP

A WOMAN could be heard pleading for forgiveness from a Cairns home where eight children were found stabbed to death yesterday.

Senior police last night told The Saturday Telegraph that Mersane ­Warria, also known as Raina Thaiday, was a person of interest in one of the worst mass murders in Australia’s history.

The 34-year-old remains in Cairns Hospital with serious injuries and will undergo a mental health assessment.The 20-year-old brother of most of the victims alerted authorities after he discovered the gruesome scene at their house on Murray St, Manoora, about 11.20am yesterday.

Neighbours reported hearing a woman screaming in a mixture of English and Torres Strait Creole, a native language of islanders.

About 9pm on Thursday night a woman was heard screaming: “Don’t let them take them away from us. God bless us. Forgive me for what I’ll do.”

Other neighbours reported they heard a female voice. Another neighbour said she saw the mother lugging personal possessions from her home to her front yard saying she was going to “make a fresh start”.Queensland Police’s Far Northern Region Acting Chief Superintendent Russell Miller said Ms Warria was a person of interest in relation to the deaths of her seven children and a niece. The victims are believed to have ranged in age from 18 months old to 15 years.

Detective Inspector Bruno Aniscar said yesterday that investigators would not be able to enter the crime scene before forensic teams had finished their work.“With any crime of this magnitude, and particularly one of the nature that this one is, the scene is locked down,” Insp Aniscar said. “I haven’t been in the scene, and nobody has been in that scene other than our forensic people.

“They will remain there until they’ve completed their investigations and examinations.

“After that time, investigators will go in and start their investigative process from there.”

Grief-stricken family and friends broke down as they gathered at the edge of the crime scene yesterday.Manoora is a suburb with a large indigenous population and many neighbours were related to the family involved in the deaths.

They began to leave flowers outside the crime scene yesterday and a candlelight vigil was held last night at nearby Munroe Martin Park to “remember the lives of the little ones lost”.

Dozens of police swarmed the home yesterday with the crime scene in lockdown and specialist forensic officers sent from Brisbane to assist with the investigation.

“We are missing nothing as far as conducting this investigation,” Insp Ascinar said.

Ms Warria’s cousin Lisa Thaiday said the children were all members of a close-knit Torres Strait family.

Neighbours were visibly upset as they described the mother as being very proud and protective and said she loved her children dearly.The family was friendly, quiet and kind, residents said.

Ms Thaiday said the young man who discovered the bodies was struggling: “I’m going to see him now, he needs comforting. We’re a big family and most of us are from the (Torres) Strait.

“I just can’t believe it. We just found out, those poor babies.”

Local pastor Nicole Dalla Vecchia, 30, joined those at the scene to offer support to the community.

“I felt sick. It doesn’t matter if you know them or not, it breaks your heart,” she said, adding the community was like one big family.

Local state MP Gavin King said the region had been left in shock and disbelief: “I’ve spoken to police and different state agencies and our immediate priority is to provide every support and counselling that friends and family will require. The scale of the tragedy is incredibly shocking.”

A NATION CRIES FOR LOSS OF CHILDREN
“THERE will be tears and prayers across the country” for the children killed in the latest tragedy to jolt the nation.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott gave the ­heartbreaking summary of the national feeling ­yesterday as he joined other political leaders in expressing sadness and shock at the “evil” killing of the eight children in Cairns.

In a statement Mr ­Abbott described the news of what is believed to be the worst mass loss of life in one family as the result of a crime as “heartbreaking”.

“All parents would feel a gut-wrenching sadness at what has happened,” Mr Abbott said.

“This is an unspeakable crime. These are trying days for our country.

“Tonight, there will be tears and prayers across the country for these children.

Queensland Premier Campbell Newman said he was “deeply saddened and shocked” by the deaths.

“My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of those ­concerned,” Mr Campbell said.

“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.”

In a joint statement federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and opposition mental health spokeswoman Jan McLucas, described he events in Cairns as the “saddest tragedy at the end of one of the toughest weeks for our nation”.

“Go home, hug your children, call your parents — because life is too short and too fragile,” they said.

The Telegraph