Mother Mersane Warria charged with eight counts of murder
Greg Stolz, Peter Michael
The Courier-Mail
December 21, 2014
POLICE say they will oppose bail for the Cairns woman charged with murdering seven of her children and a niece.
Raina Mersane Ina Thaiday was today formally charged with eight counts of murder in a bedside court hearing in Cairns Hospital, where she is being treated for injuries suffered during her alleged rampage on Friday.
Four girls aged 14, 12, 11 and two and four boys aged nine, eight, six and five were found stabbed to death in a Murray St home on Friday.
Warria has been under police arrest in hospital recovering from non-life threatening self-inflicted knife wounds. She is also due to undergo mental health assessments.
The charges will be heard in Cairns Magistrates Court tomorrow but police say Warria, also known as Raina Thaiday, has been remanded in custody and will not appear.
“She is currently under police guard and will remain so until a decision’s made about any future accommodations,’’ regional crime co-coordinator Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar said.
Family and and friends of some of the dead children attended a media conference at Cairns police station where Insp Asnicar confirmed the charges, but they did not speak with journalists.
Murder accused cannot ply for bail in the Magistrates Court but Insp Asnicar said police would “obviously” oppose if she makes a Supreme Court bail bid.
He said Warria was “conscious and lucid” but would not comment on her reaction to the charges.
The families of the dead children had also been informed of the murder charges, he said.
“It’d come as no surprise that this is a very raw and emotive time for everybody,” he said.
“The family’s deeply, deeply upset but the community’s pulling together. It’s as good as it can be out of tragic, tragic circumstances.”
Asked how the five different fathers of the eight dead were bearing up, Insp Asnicar said: “You don’t need too much of an imagination to understand how they’re feeling.”
Insp Asnicar said autopsies had not been completed and the house at 34 Murray St, Manoora, was expected to remain a crime scene for days.
Local MP Gavin King said the future of the Housing Commission house would be decided once police had finished their investigation and will announce details of a public memorial to the children tomorrow.
He also announced a public appeal for donations to the families through UnitingCare.
the public were also being urged to donate household goods to the Salvation Army to help accommodate extended family members travelling to Cairns from across Queensland to mourn the children.
Mr King backed police comments dismissing fears of unrest in Manoora over the mass murder.
“Most people understand this is a tragedy of untold horror – it’s not a time for retribution,” he said.