ZHANJIANG, GUANGDONG - A depressed mother in south-eastern China stabbed her five children, killing four of them, after giving birth to five daughters, Chinese reports said.

The children were all eight or younger.

The tragedy happened on Dec 9 in Zhanjiang city, Guangdong.

The 31-year-old mother, surnamed Zhou, gave birth to a fifth girl last month, and suffered from post-natal depression, The Beijing News reported.

Her husband said he wants a son very much.

South China Morning Post reported that the family is poor and that Zhou's husband works away from home, leaving his wife to care for the children and his disabled father.