NEWCASTLE, Australia: A 13-year-old Chinese exchange student in Australia’s New South Wales has been charged with murder after allegedly stabbing a teen compatriot to death at their homestay.
Emergency services were called to a home in Edgeworth, a suburb west of Newcastle, a coastal city within the state, at around 10.20pm on Monday (Aug 4), according to New South Wales police.
They found a 14-year-old with an injury to her torso. The girl was taken to hospital in critical condition but died a short time later, ABC News Australia reported.
The 13-year-old suspect was arrested at the scene and remains in police custody. She was refused bail in court on Wednesday, Sky News Australia reported.
According to the police, the two girls had arrived in Australia late last month, staying with the same host family and attending a local school as part of a short-stay programme. They were due to leave on Aug 16.
The two girls had their own bedrooms, reported local news outlet news.com.au.
“All parties had retired to their rooms for the evening when one of the hosts heard a commotion of some sort, and when she went to investigate, she located the 14-year-old,” said New South Wales Police Superintendent Tracy Chapman in a press conference on Tuesday.
A kitchen knife was seized at the scene and sent for forensic testing.
“It does appear to be a knife from a particular drawer at that location. We anticipate that was the weapon used to inflict injury,” Chapman said as reported by ABC News Australia.
Authorities said they are not aware of any relationship between the girls, aside from being in the same short-stay programme.
The host family has been assisting with what authorities have described as a complex investigation.
“As you can imagine, an investigation with young girls involved, language barriers, they’re not Australian residents, there are obvious complications and complexities with that,” Chapman said as quoted by ABC News Australia.
Local police have yet to formally identify the suspect and victim, and are working with the Chinese consulate to notify the families.
During the court hearing on Wednesday, Magistrate Andrew Eckhold said it was clear mental health was a factor and noted the suspect had an “extraordinary” number of medications in her possession.
The case is set to return to court on Oct 7.
