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A 13-year-old girl, who had just arrived in Australia for a study tour days prior, was denied bail yesterday following an incident where another student was found with a stab wound in her torso at Euston Close in Edgeworth on Monday.
She was treated at the scene and taken to John Hunter Hospital, where she later died in the operating theatre.
Both girls were exchange students living with a host family and had been attending Newcastle Waldorf School as part of a tour program.
Co-principals Peter Muddle and Tracey Ashton said the community was in shock following the alleged murder.
“We are profoundly shocked and saddened by the tragic event involving two visiting Chinese students who joined a tour group in Australia just last week,” they expressed in a joint statement.
“Our primary focus has been ensuring that care and professional support are available for our school community, as well as for the visiting students and their guardians, who are experiencing grief so far from home.
“We have arranged extra counselling to support everyone through this very difficult time.”
Muddle and Ashton said the visit had been organised by an “external tour operator”.
The accused and victim both attended Newcastle Waldorf School as part of the study program and experienced classes.
“The tragedy occurred at a residence where both students were staying. Even though the host family isn’t linked with our school, our thoughts are with them as they too are going through this difficult time,” the statement added.
“Our thoughts and compassion are with the students, their families, and everyone affected at this time.”
NSW Police Superintendent Tracy Chapman noted yesterday that the two girls had only met eight days earlier when they started staying with their host family.
The hosts were a couple, a man and a woman aged in their 50s.
The girls were due to return to China on August 16.
Chapman said the female host heard a “commotion” in one of the rooms before she found the older girl with a stab wound.
“No doubt this is a shock and a significant event in their lives,” Chapman said.
A knife was found at the scene which Chapman said appears to have been taken from a kitchen drawer.
She said police believe this was the weapon used to inflict the fatal injury.
Strike Force Agnes has been formed alongside homicide detectives to investigate the incident.
The 13-year-old appeared before a Children’s Court today after being charged with murder.
