Ex-cop charged over family stabbings

A former police officer has been charged with three counts of attempted murder after his wife and two children were stabbed in a frenzied attack in their Brisbane home.

One neighbour described how she heard a small child yelling "Mum, mum, mum!" around 6.30am (AEST) yesterday.

"The next thing I know there's police everywhere," she told The Courier-Mail.

Police confirmed they received a triple-0 call from inside the house, in the suburb of Carina, and arrived to find the 39-year-old mother and two children, a seven-year-old boy and a nine-year-old girl, with multiple stab wounds.

Neighbours said the woman was wheeled out on a stretcher, the girl walked out covered in blood and her brother was carried out, the newspaper reports.

All three victims were rushed to hospital and last night the mother underwent surgery as the children remained in a stable condition.

The 41-year-old suspect was led from the house in a blue forensic suit.

Police also removed several knives from the single-storey brick home, where the family had lived for several years.

The father reportedly lost his job last year and spent most of his time inside on the computer.

He is due to face Brisbane Magistrates Court today charged with three counts of attempted murder, two counts of grievous bodily harm and one count of intending to cause grievous bodily harm.