Charlise Mutten, 9, was initially believed to have last been seen on Thursday but was reported missing on Friday morning. Police will now allege she was killed on the Tuesday night, three days before her mother called.

Charlise’s mother Kallista Mutten’s fiancé Justin Stein (pictured) has been charged with murder

The accused appeared in Central Local Court on Wednesday from Surry Hills police station, where he is detained

‘(There were) a number of telephone conversations, to purchase a number of sandbags,’ Deputy Police Commissioner David Hudson said.

Footage of Stein’s arrest was released on Wednesday afternoon, showing the moment he walked from a car to a holding cell at Surry Hills Police Station with his hands cuffed in front of him.

He wore a grey Everlast jumper and shorts which he was still dressed in when he fronted court on Wednesday morning.

Ms Mutten reported Charlise missing to police on Friday morning.

The police fact sheet tendered in court on Wednesday indicates police believe she may have been killed several days before this call was made.

Police alleged Charlise was killed sometime between 7pm on Tuesday, January 11 and 10am Wednesday January 12.

Detectives are still waiting to speak to Ms Mutten because she remains under guard at hospital and is ‘hard to approach’.

‘The mother is currently under healthcare and is difficult to approach,’ Deputy Police Commissioner David Hudson said.

‘She’s under medical supervision, but when doctors allow, we will be talking to her.’

Mr Hudson said it was too early to speculate as to whether the accused had an accomplice.

‘At this stage, we have no evidence to support whether the accused acted alone… However it is still early days,’ he said.

There has been a significant delay in speaking with the girl’s mother Kallista Mutten (pictured) because she remains in hospital under guard. ‘The mother is currently under healthcare and is difficult to approach,’ Deputy Police Commissioner David Hudson said

Footage of the man’s arrest was released on Wednesday afternoon, showing as he walked from the car to the holding cell at Surry Hills Police Station with his hands cuffed in front of him

Police have seized Stein’s red ute (pictured) as part of their investigation into Charlise’s alleged murder

Police were investigating a number of ‘anomalies’ they claimed to identify in the accused’s initial testimony, which included allegedly giving two separate versions of events in the lead up to the young girl’s disappearance.

Mr Hudson said through tracking the movements of a car they seized via CCTV, they were able to establish certain facts as to Stein’s movements.

Charlise’s doting grandparents, who live in Coolangatta, have been notified.

More details about Charlise’s death and final moments are expected in the coming days after her post-mortem results are shared with detectives.

The 31-year-old accused, who was arrested inside a Surry Hills unit shortly after her body was found, did not apply for bail in court on Wednesday – and it was formally refused.

His lawyer asked the court for a 12 week adjournment to seek a mental health assessment, noting he’s been on ‘long term medication’.

An eyewitness also told Daily Mail Australia they had seen a car leaving the property she was last seen at in the early hours of Friday morning.

The one hour drive from Mt Wilson to the Colo River follows Mt Wilson Road to the Bells Line of Road then via one of two routes to reach the river.

Driving past houses and equestrian properties, the road becomes a dirt track as it enters the Wollemi National Park.

Comleroy Road to Upper Colo is a winding and often steep and treacherous dirt road which crosses through the flowing Colo River past the remote Wheeny Creek campground.

Emergency crews are seen in Colo River near the Blue Mountains, near where Charlise’s body was found

Pictured: Police vehicles moving down the driveway at Mount Wilson, in the NSW Blue Mountains

RFS volunteers (pictured) were deployed to the area to search for the nine-year-old and have been combing bushland

A road posted with a sign warning ‘Protect children! Please drive carefully’ goes past the Upper Colo Anglican Church and local rural fire brigade headquarters.

Charlise’s ‘shattered’ father, who cannot be identified, shared an emotional tribute on Wednesday morning, hours after learning of her death.

‘Goodbye beautiful girl… We will get answers for you baby, and we will honour you properly,’ he said.

‘You have captured the hearts of the nation and the world, and now those hearts are breaking with mine.’

Her father vowed this ‘would not be the end of [her] or [her] story’ in his statement.

‘This doesn’t happen. Kids need to be safe. What is wrong with people?’