Cairns child killings

Last updated

Cairns child killings
Location Manoora, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
Date18–19 [1] December 2014
Attack type
 Pedicide, mass stabbing, mass murder
WeaponsKnife or knives
Deaths8
Injured1 (the perpetrator)
PerpetratorRaina Mersane Ina Thaiday

On 19 December 2014, eight children were found stabbed to death at a home in the Australian city of Cairns. Raina Thaiday, the mother of seven of the children and the aunt of the eighth, was charged with eight counts of murder in relation to the killings, but in 2017 was deemed unfit to stand trial by reason of insanity, following a diagnosis of schizophrenia. She was detained indefinitely at a psychiatric facility. The killings took place in the Cairns suburb of Manoora, [2] with the victims aged between 18 months and 14 years. [2] The bodies, with stab wounds, were discovered by the children's 20-year-old brother. [3]

Contents

Victims and discovery

Eight children were killed: four boys and four girls, ranging in age from two to 14 years old. [4] Seven of the eight were siblings or half-siblings, and the eighth was their cousin. Their family had ties across Australia, including in Perth. [5]

The victim's bodies were discovered by Thaiday's 20-year-old son when he visited the house at around 11:00 a.m. on 19 December 2014. She allegedly told him "I've killed them". [6] She was subsequently hospitalised for "35 self-inflicted stab wounds, including to the chest and neck". [7] Police believe Thaiday drugged the children before the attack took place, as no one reported that they heard the victims during the attack. However, no drugs were found at the crime scene. [6]

Neighbours had reported that fighting could be heard from the house the night before and in the early hours of the morning. [8] It was also reported that Thaiday had thrown her family's possessions onto the front lawn of the property prior to the killings, and had been observed by neighbours yelling in the street. [9]

Perpetrator

The perpetrator of the killings was Raina Mersane Ina Thaiday, also known as Mersane Warria, a 37-year-old Torres Strait Islander woman who had no previous criminal history. She was a single mother to seven of the children, from multiple fathers, and also the aunt of the eighth. She reportedly had untreated mental health issues and was under financial stress at the time of the killings. She was said to be a long-time cannabis user, but had recently banned alcohol and drugs from the house. She was also said to have developed extreme religious views, including making public proclamations about "Papa God", and to have attended multiple churches "seeking counsel". [9]

On 21 December 2014, Thaiday was charged with eight counts of murder. [10] [6] [11] She was subsequently moved to a mental health facility in Brisbane, with a preliminary hearing to occur in Cairns on 30 January 2015. [12] In April 2017, Queensland's Mental Health Court ruled that Thaiday was of "unsound mind" at the time of the killings, and thus (under Queensland law) not criminally responsible. [13] She was reportedly diagnosed with "psychosis stemming from undiagnosed schizophrenia". [14] One examining psychiatrist found that "she in some way believed she would be saving the children from the end of the world", while another found that she was in an "apocalyptic delusional state" at the time of the killings and described it as "schizophrenia at its very depth and its worst in terms of the terror for the patient, as well as the consequences for the individuals killed". [9]

As of May 2017, Thaiday was being held for treatment at the Park Centre for Mental Health, [15] within a secure ward. It was reported around the same time that she "had been slow to respond to treatment and was at high risk of relapsing". [9] In 2024, on the 10th anniversary of the killings, it was reported that she remained detained under a mental health order. [14]

Aftermath

The Torres Strait Island Regional Council requested respect for privacy and cultural responsibilities, adding it was inappropriate to comment due to "strict cultural protocols". [16] The children's funeral was held on 10 January 2015 at Cairns Convention Centre. [4] [17] [18] The house was removed. Eight frangipani trees were planted on the site as a memorial. [19]

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References

  1. ↑ "Cairns stabbings: Family of eight killed children visit memorial, attend church services". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 21 December 2014. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  2. 1 2 Helsel, Phil (19 December 2014). "Eight Children Found Dead at Home in Cairns, Australia". NBC News. Archived from the original on 19 December 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  3. ↑ "Stabbings in Cairns, Australia leave 8 children dead, woman injured". CBC News. Associated Press. 18 December 2014. Archived from the original on 19 December 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Public funeral for Cairns kids on Saturday". Yahoo!7 News. 6 January 2015. Archived from the original on 10 January 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  5. ↑ Peter Michael; Greg Stolz; Damon Guppy (22 December 2014). "Cairns child massacre accused found God, denounced technology". The Courier-Mail. News Limited. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 Jamie Walker; Sarah Elks (27 December 2014). "Cairns deaths: A 'good mum' who concealed her demons". The Australian. News Limited. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  7. ↑ "Cairns stabbings: Family of eight killed children visit memorial, attend church services". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 21 December 2014. Archived from the original on 28 December 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  8. ↑ "Woman heard screaming for forgiveness before child massacre". The Courier Mail.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Silva, Kristian (4 May 2017). "Cairns children killings: What drove Raina Thaiday to slay eight kids?" . Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  10. ↑ "Cairns woman charged with murder of eight children: Bodies found in Manoora house". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 21 December 2014. Archived from the original on 21 December 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  11. ↑ Cameron Atfield (21 December 2014). "Family of Mersane Warria, mother in Cairns stabbing, speak out". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  12. ↑ Grace Uhr (30 December 2014). "Funeral plans confirmed for eight young victims of Cairns massacre". The Courier-Mail . Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  13. ↑ "Thaiday, Re [2017] QMHC 1 (6 April 2017)". Australian Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  14. 1 2 Stephen, Adam; Testa, Christopher (21 December 2024). "Mental health services still lacking 10 years after Cairns child killings, relative says". ABC News. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  15. ↑ Kristian Silva (4 May 2017). "Cairns mother Raina Thaiday of unsound mind when she killed eight children, court rules". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 4 May 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  16. ↑ "Torres Strait Island Regional Council request cultural protocols in Cairns tragedy". National Indigenous Television . 20 December 2014. Archived from the original on 25 December 2014. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  17. ↑ "Funeral plans confirmed for eight young victims of Cairns massacre". The Courier Mail. 30 December 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  18. ↑ "WARRIA, THAIDAY, WILLIE". tributes.couriermail.com.au. Archived from the original on 3 January 2015. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  19. ↑ Michael, Peter (18 December 2015). "Cairns child massacre victims to be honoured on anniversary of their death with tree planting". Courier Mail. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
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