A Cairns stabbing tragically left eight children, ages 18 months to 15 years old, dead in the Australian city this week, and a 34-year-old woman believed to be their mother has been hospitalized with stab wounds.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, a 20-year-old man identified as the brother of the eight slain siblings found the bodies and police responded Friday morning.
"Everybody who's had any involvement at all in the past two or three days is a person of interest," Cairns detective inspector Bruno Asnicar told reporters Friday.
The injured woman has been identified as Mersane Warria, and the
Herald Sun said she is the mother of at least seven of the children.
Far Northern Region acting chief superintendent Russell Miller told the newspaper that Warria is a person of interest in the murders.
Asnicar said his crew will be meticulous in their investigation.
"With any crime of this magnitude, and particularly one of the nature that this one is, the scene is locked down," he 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," Asnicar continued.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Queensland Premier Campbell Newman said they were stunned and saddened about the news of the stabbings.
"Tonight, there will be tears and prayers across our country for these children," Abbott wrote in a statement.
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