Cairns mum charged with murder

A Cairns mother has been charged with the murder of seven of her children and her niece.

Mersane Warria, 37, was charged with eight counts of murder at a bedside hearing in Cairns Hospital on Sunday.

The bodies were discovered on Friday at a house in the Cairns suburb of Manoora.

Warria remains in hospital where she is recovering from stab wounds.