在澳大利亚维多利亚州西部小镇唐纳德（Donald）附近的灌木丛中，一具 13 岁女孩 Laya Jeffery 的遗体于周四下午被发现 [1]。该受害者自 7 月 5 日起失踪，其最后出现地点为麦克拉肯街（McCracken Street）[1]。警方随后将此案定性为可疑死亡事件进行调查 [1]。
周五上午，警察对唐纳德的一处住宅执行了搜查令，并逮捕了一名来自斯旺希尔（Swan Hill）地区的 16 岁男孩 [1]。维多利亚州失踪人员小组高级警探戴夫·邓斯坦表示，该被捕少年与受害者相识，且警方确信已锁定嫌疑人，排除了其他涉案人员的可能性 [1]。此外，两名分别 53 岁和 55 岁的女性正在协助调查工作，但未被逮捕 [1]。
当地社区对此消息反应强烈，唐纳德居民聚集表达哀悼，地方议员查梅因·德拉内伊称该事件令人难以置信 [1]。警方已明确排除受害者家属涉案的可能 [1]。
The remains of a missing 13-year-old girl were discovered on Thursday afternoon in the bush near Donald, western Victoria [1]. Police have classified the death as suspicious and subsequently issued an arrest warrant for a 16-year-old boy from Swan Hill [1]. Officers executed search warrants at a residence in Donald early Friday morning to execute the arrest [1].
The victim is Layla Jeffery, who went missing on July 5 after her last known sighting was recorded on McCracken Street [1]. Detective Inspector Dave Dunstan of Victoria Police's Missing Persons Unit stated that the arrested boy knew the girl and confirmed he has been apprehended with no other suspects involved at this stage [1]. While two women aged 53 and 55 are currently assisting police in their investigation, they have not been charged or detained [1].
The discovery of Layla Jeffery's body has caused shock and grief within the local community, prompting residents to gather for expressions of mourning [1]. Local Member of Parliament Charmaine Delaney described receiving the news as unbelievable [1]. Police have explicitly ruled out any involvement from the victim's family in this matter [1].