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8 Australian Children Are Found Dead in House | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
SYDNEY, Australia — Eight children were found dead Friday in a single house in a suburb of Cairns, Australia, and the state police in Queensland were investigating. | |
Officers were called around 11:20 a.m. to a house in the suburb, Manoora, where they found the bodies of the children, ranging in age from about 18 months to 15 years, along with a seriously injured 34-year-old woman. She is believed to be the mother of seven of the eight children, and she was taken to a hospita,l where she was treated for stab wounds. | |
Local news reports said at least some of the children had been stabbed. A spokesman at the state police headquarters who spoke on the condition of anonymity said it would take days for investigators to determine the cause of the children’s deaths. He said t 12 specialist police investigators had been sent to Cairns, in Queensland’s far north, from the state’s capital, Brisbane, to help. | |
“Forensic teams are at the house, and it will then take investigators some days to work through the crime scene and determine the cause of death,” he said. | “Forensic teams are at the house, and it will then take investigators some days to work through the crime scene and determine the cause of death,” he said. |
Earlier, Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar told reporters at the scene, “This is a tragic, tragic event.” He said the woman was in stable condition and was helping the police with their investigation. She has not been charged. | Earlier, Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar told reporters at the scene, “This is a tragic, tragic event.” He said the woman was in stable condition and was helping the police with their investigation. She has not been charged. |
The police spokesman said no further details were available. | |
Prime Minister Tony Abbott described the news as heartbreaking. “All parents would feel a gut-wrenching sadness at what has happened,” he said in a statement. “These are trying days for our country.” | Prime Minister Tony Abbott described the news as heartbreaking. “All parents would feel a gut-wrenching sadness at what has happened,” he said in a statement. “These are trying days for our country.” |
On Monday, an armed man held 17 hostages in a Sydney cafe. The man and two of his captives were killed. | On Monday, an armed man held 17 hostages in a Sydney cafe. The man and two of his captives were killed. |