Tenth anniversary of day Raina Thaiday killed eight children in Cairns

Chilling new details have been revealed 10 years after a psychotic mother killed her seven children and her niece in what has become one of the worst mass killings in Australia’s history.

The mother responsible for killing eight children in 2014 invited another child to stay over the night before one of Australia’s worst mass killings, it can now be revealed.

Raina Thaiday’s seven children and niece died at the Manoora address on December 19, 2014 — 10 years ago.

The four boy and four girls who are not named for cultural reasons were aged 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13 and 14.

Thaiday killed the children in the depths of a psychotic episode that a Queensland Mental Health Court Justice later described as the “worst schizophrenia gets”.

Jade Atkinson, 24, a friend of the oldest girl, said Thaiday had asked her mum earlier that day if she would like to stay at the house that night.

Her mum said no.

“The week before, there were warning signs – she was walking up and down the street saying what she was going to do,” Ms Atkinson said.

“I wish I’d spoken to my mum about it (at the time).”

“It was all a blur that day.”

Kirgir Omaskir has held a commemorative service for the eight children killed by Raina Thaiday at Murray Street, Manoora, 10 years ago. Poppy Atkinson, 23 months, Jade Atkinson, Ava McGreen, 5 months and Faith McGreen attended the service in Murray Street Park. Picture: Brendan Radke

Ms Atkinson said she spent hours in disbelief in the park on the day it happened.

She said the trauma led to misplaced fearful thoughts and projections.

“I was scared my mother was going to kill me. I used to lock myself in the room. I was so scared that if my friend’s mum could kill her, then my mum could kill me,” she said.

“Afterwards, I felt like the place was evil and that I wouldn’t grow up to have my own kids. I had to leave.

“We’re in our 20s now. A lot of us are still grieving.”

Classmates and friends of the younger children will be entering their final years of high school next year.

The youngest child, who was killed at two, would have started high school next year.

But amid the unfathomable tragedy of Murray Street, there are many signs of the community’s resilience and pain 10 years on.

Community members, service providers, first responders and friends came together last week at a commemoration ceremony to pray, sing, and remember the children at the park next to where their house once stood.

Eight frangipani trees grow there now, planted in memory of the children.

Eight frangipani trees stand at 34 Murray Street, Manoora, the site of one of Australia's worst mass killings, where eight children aged between 2 to 14 years old were stabbed to death by their mother and aunt Raina Thaiday on December 19, 2014. Picture: Brendan Radke

The house was demolished at the community’s wishes in 2015.

Former Red Cross program co-ordinator for the community recovery effort in 2015 and 2016, Michael White, attended the memorial last week to reconnect with community, police officers and health workers, with whom he worked closely for two years, and to pay his respects.

He said the ceremony carried a positive sense of healing as well as the absolute tragedy of the event.

“When I was asked to take on the Community Healing Project in 2014, I wasn’t sure if I was the right person,” Mr White said.

“There were many cultural groups affected and, being of Aboriginal descent, I was not sure … but it became evident quite early on that some of the mainstream ways weren’t going to be appropriate and it might be good to have an outside perspective.

Scene of a stabbing at Murray Street, Manoora, Cairns, where 8 children were killed in 2014. Picture: Brendan Radke

“The process after this tragedy in 2014 was similar to a disaster management response, with people going through shock, anger, blame – blaming the services for failing them and blaming themselves for not speaking up – and some people are still cycling through that,” Mr White said.

He said the trauma-informed approach taken by his team, in partnership with agencies like Wuchopperen, Cairns Regional Council, the Queensland Government and Cairns Safer Streets, aimed to create spaces and allow time for people to feel safe to share grief, words and needs.

Kirgir Omaskir has held a commemorative service for the eight children killed by Raina Thaiday at Murray Street, Manoora, 10 years ago. Nick Wymarra, Inspector Brad Winks and Michael White were all involved in the first response to the murders, and attended the service in Murray Street Park. Picture: Brendan Radke

He said the legacy of this approach was a lasting one, with new footpaths, beautified parks and physical spaces and renewed community activity in the area 10 years on.

A new community centre is under construction, and the Manoora Community Garden has had a revival this year.

Crime and Justice Action Group Queensland president Aaron McLeod is leading the revival of the garden.

He said the Moody Creek Micro-Farm Cooperative at the Manoora Community Garden hosted monthly mini markets to share their produce, and also cooking classes on-site, supported by the Cairns Safer Streets program.

Produce grown by the Moody Creek Micro-Farm Cooperative at the Manoora Community Garden. Picture: Catherine Coombs.

Manoora Community Alliance member Kingsley Mudd said youth groups and adult’s groups met weekly to share ideas and write songs together.

They wrote a song for the “eight angels”, which was sung at last week’s commemoration.

Creative arts and acts of service are important to teenagers in the group, who have ideas to start a gardening and lawnmowing service for neighbours in need.

The Manoora Community Alliance was formed after the tragedy to support community connection.

Cairns Mayor Amy Eden, who lived in Murray Street at the time, was the first secretary of the Alliance.

She also helped to establish the Manoora Community Garden.

She said it was important to honour the 10-year anniversary of the children’s deaths by “reaffirming our commitment to building a community rooted in kindness, understanding, and connection”.

Floral tributes left at a temporary memorial in Murray Street park, Manoora, adjacent to where eight children were stabbed to death two weeks after the tragedy. Picture: Brendan Radke.

“(On the 10th anniversary), our thoughts are with the families and friends who continue to carry the weight of unimaginable grief,” she said.

“We also pay respect to those first responders who bore witness to unimaginable scenes inside the house on that tragic day.

“We acknowledge the strength and resilience of our community, which came together in compassion and support during such a painful time. Let us honour the memory of these innocent children by … working together to protect and care for our families, our friends and our neighbours.”

Originally published as Tenth anniversary of day Raina Thaiday killed eight children in Cairns