Share

Home of 8 slaughtered kids to be demolished

Sydney - The home where eight children were found murdered in northern Australia will be demolished and a memorial built on the site, news reports said on Monday.

Flowers continued to be laid by grieving relatives on the front lawn of the home in a Cairns suburb where four boys and four girls aged between 2 and 14-years-old were found murdered on Friday.

The mother of seven of the children and aunt to one girl found dead, Mersane Warria, was charged with their murder and was ordered on Monday by a Cairns court to remain in custody until 30 January, when the case will be heard again.

"After extensive consultation we will remove the house behind me," local MP Gavin King told reporters.

King said the removal of the house and installation of a memorial would comply with the family's wishes and cultural beliefs relating to spirits on the site, broadcaster ABC reported.

Acting Assistant Police Commissioner Paul Taylor was also quoted as saying the home would be torn down.

Warria - whose full name is Raina Mersane Ina Thaiday - is in hospital with 17 stab wounds to the chest and was not required to appear before the court on Monday.

The magistrate declined a request from the defence lawyer to have the case heard by the Mental Health Court.

Under Queensland law a doctor can certify a person for an involuntary treatment order if they are satisfied they have a mental illness.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Do airplane mishaps have any effect on which airline you book your flights with?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
No, these things happen. I pick based on price
49% - 1007 votes
Yes, my safety matters. I don't take any chances
51% - 1048 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
19.22
-0.6%
Rand - Pound
23.93
-0.6%
Rand - Euro
20.55
-0.5%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.48
-0.7%
Rand - Yen
0.12
-0.3%
Platinum
913.50
-0.7%
Palladium
1,007.00
-1.9%
Gold
2,322.92
+0.0%
Silver
27.24
-0.3%
Brent Crude
88.42
+1.6%
Top 40
68,574
+0.8%
All Share
74,514
+0.7%
Resource 10
60,444
+1.4%
Industrial 25
104,013
+1.2%
Financial 15
15,837
-0.4%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE