Mum in hospital after boys die

A woman arrested over the death of her two sons in their home in rural Victoria has been taken to a Melbourne hospital in a serious condition.

Paramedics said she was serious but stable, but would not say what was wrong with her.

The woman was arrested at her home at Mooroopna, near Shepparton, and taken into police custody after her sons, aged 7 and 9, were found dead in a bedroom of the home, about 190km north of Melbourne, on Sunday.

A Victoria police spokeswoman could not confirm the nature of their injuries.

Police are awaiting the results of a post mortem examination to determine the cause of the two deaths.

Acting Inspector Peter Gunn told the Age the residents of Mooroopna had been devastated by the news.

"It's one of the things you dread to find during your career. It's a lot to deal with," he said.

A neighbour, Geoff Gardner, told the newspaper: "She was a nice lady with a couple of young kids.

"I think it was the dad who used to come and pick them up on the weekends in the red ute.

"It's a very quiet neighbourhood.

"It's pretty awful what's happened. You can't prepare yourself for that sort of stuff."

- AAP