MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Three youngsters found wounded but alive in a house where six other people were slain are under police protection, and not even their relatives can visit them in the hospital.

"Nobody will see those children," said homicide detective Joe Scott. "This is a sensitive investigation. We're keeping everything under the wraps right now."

Police have offered no motive for the killings, which apparently occurred over the weekend at a small brick house in a neighborhood where low-income homes sit near cheap motels and junkyards.

Authorities identified the adult victims Wednesday as Cecil Dotson, 30, who was renting the house; Hollis Seals, 33; Shindri Roberson, 20, and Marissa Rene Williams, 26. They declined to identify the children.

Police put the time of the killings somewhere between Saturday night and Monday evening. Five of those killed were shot, and at least one, a child, was stabbed, authorities said. Investigators have ruled out a murder-suicide.

Dotson's sister, Nicole Dotson, said her brother lived in the rental house with Williams, his girlfriend, their four children and a child of his from a previous relationship. The children were ages 9, 5, 4, 2 and 2 months, she said.

Police refused to disclose any information about the surviving children, even to their relatives.

"We don't know who's in the hospital. We don't know who's alive. It's depressing," Dotson said.

Residents near the murder scene said gunfire is not unusual in their neighborhood, and no one called police when shots were heard over the weekend.

"I did hear shooting, but I didn't know where it was. Sometimes guys get crazy and just shoot up in the air," said Marie Mackey, 33, who was visiting her mother's house a couple of blocks away Saturday night. "If I had known, I would have called."