Eight children were stabbed to death at their home in Cairns, Australia on Dec. 19, Friday. A 20-year-old elder brother of the victims called Queensland Police after finding the bodies, Sky News reported.
According to Queensland Police spokesman Joe Marsden, the brother and the 34-year-old mother of seven of the children, who are aged18 months to 15 years old, were helping investigators but a suspect is yet to be sought over the murder. The eighth child was also reported as a family member.
A woman Lisa Thaiday, who said she was the cousin of the children's mother, said, "We're a big family. I just can't believe it."
On the other hand, Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar told the public that there is no need to be worried about the murder "other than the fact that it's a tragic, tragic event."
With no persons formally declared suspects yet, Asnicar said authorities are speaking to "a range of people" and "anybody that's even had associations with this family" in the last two to three days.
Asnicar added the crime "with so many people deceased in one place" as one of the most serious things he has ever had to deal with.
Superintendent Russell Miller also said the local community should stay calm although the "complex investigation" will certainly take time.
The stabbing of eight children in Cairns took place in the same week as the Sydney café siege that lasted for 16 hours leaving a gunman and two hostages and a gunman dead, NBC reported.
"These are trying days for our country," Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said describing the stabbing of eight children an "unspeakable crime."