SYDNEY (AP) — The bodies of eight children — aged 18 months to 15 years — and a wounded woman were discovered in a home in northern Australia on Friday, police said.
Police in Australia do not typically name suspects. Police did say they do not believe a murderer is at large and that they were talking to the woman, who was found stabbed in the chest. She is believed to be the mother of seven of the dead children, police said.
The eighth dead child is also believed to be related to the 34-year-old wounded woman, Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar said. The woman was receiving treatment for her injuries and was in stable condition at a hospital.
Queensland state police said they were called to the home in the Cairns suburb of Manoora on Friday morning after receiving a report of a woman with serious injuries. When police got to the house, they found the bodies of the children.
Asnicar declined to say how the children died.
He said he didn't believe there was a multiple murderer still at large and that police were talking to the woman. Asked if she was a suspect, he said officials have not yet identified any suspects and were questioning everyone who had contact with the family in the past 2-3 days.
"As it stands at the moment, there's no need for the public to be concerned about this other than the fact that it's a tragic, tragic event," Asnicar said. "The situation is well controlled at the moment. There shouldn't be any concern for anyone else out of this environment."
Lisa Thaiday, who said she was the injured woman's cousin, said one of the woman's other sons, a 20-year-old, came home and found his brothers and sisters dead inside the house.
"I'm going to see him now, he needs comforting," Thaiday said. "We're a big family … I just can't believe it. We just found out (about) those poor babies."
The street has been cordoned off and a crime scene will remain in place for at least the next day, Asnicar said.
Dozens of police descended on the home, and crowds of local residents stood outside the police barricades, some of them wiping away tears.
"These events are extremely distressing for everyone of course and police officers aren't immune from that — we're human beings as well," Ascinar said.
The tragedy comes as Australia is still reeling from the shock of a deadly siege in a Sydney cafe earlier this week. On Monday, a gunman burst into the cafe in the heart of the city and took 18 people inside hostage. Two hostages were dead along with the gunman after police stormed in 16 hours later in a bid to end the siege.
Police had earlier said there were 17 hostages in the cafe, but revised the number after a new count.
"The news out of Cairns is heartbreaking," Prime Minister Tony Abbott said in a statement. "All parents would feel a gut-wrenching sadness at what has happened. This is an unspeakable crime. These are trying days for our country."
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