Cairns child killings
{{Short description|Familicide in Cairns, Australia}}{{Use Australian English|date=December 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox civilian attack
| title = Cairns child killings
| location = Manoora, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| type = Pedicide, mass stabbing, mass murder
| fatalities = 8
| injuries = 1 (the perpetrator)
| perp = Raina Mersane Ina Thaiday
| weapons = Knife or knives
}}
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, with the victims aged between 18 months and 14 years.{{cite web | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/eight-children-found-dead-home-cairns-australia-n271426 | title=Eight Children Found Dead at Home in Cairns, Australia | work=NBC News | accessdate=19 December 2014 | author=Helsel, Phil | date=19 December 2014 | url-status=live | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141219110015/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/eight-children-found-dead-home-cairns-australia-n271426 | archivedate=19 December 2014 | df=dmy-all }} The bodies, with stab wounds, were discovered by the children's 20-year-old brother.{{cite web | url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/stabbings-in-cairns-australia-leave-8-children-dead-woman-injured-1.2878746 | title=Stabbings in Cairns, Australia leave 8 children dead, woman injured | work=CBC News | date=18 December 2014 | accessdate=19 December 2014 | agency=Associated Press | url-status=live | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141219183725/http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/stabbings-in-cairns-australia-leave-8-children-dead-woman-injured-1.2878746 | archivedate=19 December 2014 | df=dmy-all }}
Victims and discovery
Eight children lost their lives: four boys and four girls, aged between two and 14 years old. Seven of the eight were siblings or half-siblings, while the eighth child was their cousin. Their family had connections throughout Australia, including in Perth.{{cite news |url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/cairns-child-massacre-accused-found-god-denounced-technology/story-fnn8dlfs-1227163832647 |title=Cairns child massacre accused found God, denounced technology |author=Peter Michael |author2=Greg Stolz |author3=Damon Guppy |date=22 December 2014 |accessdate=13 January 2015 |work=The Courier-Mail |publisher=News Limited}}
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". She was subsequently hospitalised for "35 self-inflicted stab wounds, including to the chest and neck".{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-21/family-of-killed-children-visit-memorial-attend-church-services/5981570|title=Cairns stabbings: Family of eight killed children visit memorial, attend church services|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=21 December 2014|accessdate=29 December 2014|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141228115147/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-21/family-of-killed-children-visit-memorial-attend-church-services/5981570|archivedate=28 December 2014|df=dmy-all}} 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.{{Cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/cairns-deaths-a-good-mum-who-concealed-her-demons/story-e6frg6nf-1227167506505 |title=Cairns deaths: A 'good mum' who concealed her demons |author=Jamie Walker |author2=Sarah Elks |accessdate=28 December 2014 |date=27 December 2014 |newspaper=The Australian |publisher=News Limited }}
Neighbours had reported that fighting could be heard from the house the night before and in the early hours of the morning.{{cite web|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/woman-heard-screaming-for-forgiveness-before-child-massacre/story-fnihsrf2-1227162553523|title=Woman heard screaming for forgiveness before child massacre|work=The Courier Mail}} It was also reported that Thaiday had thrown her family's possessions onto the front lawn of the property before the killings, and had been observed by neighbours yelling in the street.
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".{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-04/cairns-children-killings-what-drove-raina-thaiday-slay-8-kids/8492742|title=Cairns children killings: What drove Raina Thaiday to slay eight kids?|date=4 May 2017|first=Kristian|last=Silva|access-date=21 December 2024}}
On 21 December 2014, Thaiday was charged with eight counts of murder.{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-21/cairns-woman-charged-with-murder-of-eight-children/5981652|title=Cairns woman charged with murder of eight children: Bodies found in Manoora house|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=21 December 2014|accessdate=21 December 2014|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141221061130/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-21/cairns-woman-charged-with-murder-of-eight-children/5981652|archivedate=21 December 2014|df=dmy-all}}{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/family-of-mersane-warria-mother-in-cairns-stabbing-speak-out-20141220-12bfhq.html|title=Family of Mersane Warria, mother in Cairns stabbing, speak out|author=Cameron Atfield|date=21 December 2014|accessdate=29 December 2014|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220215632/http://www.smh.com.au/national/family-of-mersane-warria-mother-in-cairns-stabbing-speak-out-20141220-12bfhq.html|archivedate=20 December 2014|df=dmy-all}} She was subsequently moved to a mental health facility in Brisbane, with a preliminary hearing to occur in Cairns on 30 January 2015.{{cite news|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/funeral-plans-confirmed-for-eight-young-victims-of-cairns-massacre/story-fnn8dlfs-1227169684748|title=Funeral plans confirmed for eight young victims of Cairns massacre|author=Grace Uhr|work=The Courier-Mail|date=30 December 2014|accessdate=2 January 2015}} 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.{{cite web|title=Thaiday, Re [2017] QMHC 1 (6 April 2017)|url=http://austlii.edu.au/au/cases/qld/QMHC/2017/1.html|publisher=Australian Legal Information Institute|accessdate=16 July 2017}} She was reportedly diagnosed with "psychosis stemming from undiagnosed schizophrenia". 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".
{{As of|May 2017}}, Thaiday was being held for treatment at the Park Centre for Mental Health,{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-04/mother-killing-eight-children-in-cairns-wont-face-criminal-trial/8489830|title=Cairns mother Raina Thaiday of unsound mind when she killed eight children, court rules|date=4 May 2017|accessdate=5 May 2017|author=Kristian Silva|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170504195350/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-04/mother-killing-eight-children-in-cairns-wont-face-criminal-trial/8489830|archivedate=4 May 2017|df=dmy-all}} 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". In 2024, on the 10th anniversary of the killings, it was reported that she remained detained under a mental health order.{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-21/family-remember-children-killed-murray-street-cairns-10-years-on/104752076|title=Mental health services still lacking 10 years after Cairns child killings, relative says|first1=Adam|last1=Stephen|first2=Christopher|last2=Testa|publisher=ABC News|date=21 December 2024|access-date=21 December 2024}}
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".{{cite web | url=http://www.nitv.org.au/community/dsp-news.cfm?loadref=43&id=584 | title=Torres Strait Island Regional Council request cultural protocols in Cairns tragedy | date=20 December 2014 | work=National Indigenous Television | accessdate=25 December 2014 | url-status=live | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225063007/http://www.nitv.org.au/community/dsp-news.cfm?loadref=43&id=584 | archivedate=25 December 2014 | df=dmy-all }} The children's funeral was held on 10 January 2015 at Cairns Convention Centre.{{cite web|url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/qld/a/25913281/public-funeral-for-cairns-kids-on-saturday/|title=Public funeral for Cairns kids on Saturday|publisher=Yahoo!7 News|date=6 January 2015|accessdate=8 January 2015|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150110211702/https://au.news.yahoo.com/qld/a/25913281/public-funeral-for-cairns-kids-on-saturday/|archivedate=10 January 2015|df=dmy-all}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/funeral-plans-confirmed-for-eight-young-victims-of-cairns-massacre/story-fnn8dlfs-1227169684748|title=Funeral plans confirmed for eight young victims of Cairns massacre|publisher=The Courier Mail|date=30 December 2014|accessdate=8 January 2014}}{{cite news|title=WARRIA, THAIDAY, WILLIE|url=http://tributes.couriermail.com.au/notice/108942142|accessdate=3 January 2015|work=tributes.couriermail.com.au|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150103085902/http://tributes.couriermail.com.au/notice/108942142|archivedate=3 January 2015|df=dmy-all}} The house was removed. Eight frangipani trees were planted on the site as a memorial.{{cite news|last1=Michael|first1=Peter|title=Cairns child massacre victims to be honoured on anniversary of their death with tree planting|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/cairns-child-massacre-victims-to-be-honoured-on-anniversary-of-their-death-with-tree-planting/news-story/0e79c1c587a9fc4259563185a90f1bee|accessdate=28 December 2015|work=Courier Mail|date=18 December 2015}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{Mass stabbings in the 2010s}}
Category:2014 murders in Australia
Category:Deaths by stabbing in Australia
Category:Filicides in Australia
Category:Knife attacks in Australia
Category:21st-century mass murder in Australia
Category:Mass stabbings in Australia
Category:Stabbing attacks in 2014