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| Cairns deaths: Eight children found in Australian home | Cairns deaths: Eight children found in Australian home |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Eight children have been found dead at a house in Cairns in northern Queensland, say Australian police. | Eight children have been found dead at a house in Cairns in northern Queensland, say Australian police. |
| Police said a 34-year-old woman had been taken to hospital with stab wounds but was stable. | Police said a 34-year-old woman had been taken to hospital with stab wounds but was stable. |
| The details of the incident and the woman's relationship to the children, aged between 18 months and 15 years, are not yet clear. | The details of the incident and the woman's relationship to the children, aged between 18 months and 15 years, are not yet clear. |
| Australian reports say the children were stabbed but police have not confirmed this. | Australian reports say the children were stabbed but police have not confirmed this. |
| Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said in a statement it was an "unspeakable crime", and that all parents would feel "gut-wrenching sadness at what has happened". | |
| The house in the Manoora suburb has been cordoned off and detectives are searching the yard. | The house in the Manoora suburb has been cordoned off and detectives are searching the yard. |
| Police have said it was a "tragic event" but there was no cause for public concern. | |
| They have not made any arrests, but said the injured woman was assisting with their investigations. | |
| The BBC's Jon Donnison in Sydney says it appears police are not looking for any suspects. | The BBC's Jon Donnison in Sydney says it appears police are not looking for any suspects. |
| The Australian Associated Press news agency quoted a woman as saying she was the injured woman's cousin and that the children were siblings. | The Australian Associated Press news agency quoted a woman as saying she was the injured woman's cousin and that the children were siblings. |
| Cairns Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar told reporters he could not confirm whether the children were from the same family. | Cairns Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar told reporters he could not confirm whether the children were from the same family. |
| He said police currently believed there were eight children involved but "that may go up or down" as the house was searched. | He said police currently believed there were eight children involved but "that may go up or down" as the house was searched. |
| "These events are extremely distressing for everyone, of course, and police officers aren't immune to that, we're human beings as well," he said. | |
| AAP reporter Cleo Lane at the scene told the BBC residents were standing in the street in shock. | |
| Queensland Police said in a statement earlier that they were called to a residence in Murray Street at 11.20 local time (01:20 GMT) following reports of a woman with serious injuries. | Queensland Police said in a statement earlier that they were called to a residence in Murray Street at 11.20 local time (01:20 GMT) following reports of a woman with serious injuries. |
| "During an examination of the residence police located the bodies of the children, all aged between 18 months and 15 years," said the statement. | "During an examination of the residence police located the bodies of the children, all aged between 18 months and 15 years," said the statement. |
| Queensland Premier Campbell Newman said he was "deeply saddened and shocked" by the events. | |
| "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." |