Youth charged with murder after girl’s body found

A teenager has been charged with murder after human remains were found during a search for a missing teenage girl.

Detectives from Victoria’s Missing Persons Squad said on Saturday evening that the 16-year-old had been charged with one count of murder.

Police found Layla Jeffery’s remains in Donald, a small town in the state’s rural west, on Thursday afternoon after she went missing last weekend.

After the teenager was reported missing on July 5, an extensive search was carried out in woodland west of Byrne Street.

The high school student was last seen the other day on McCracken Street in Donald but has not been heard from since.

In addition to local police, specialist officers from the dog squad, air wing and search and rescue team also participated in the search.

Detective Inspector Dave Dunstan, of the Missing Persons Squad, said officers searched a house in Donald shortly after 11am on Friday.

“We arrested a 16-year-old teenager in this area,” Donald told reporters Friday afternoon.

“Also assisting us with our investigations are a 53-year-old woman from Donald and a 55-year-old woman from Melbourne.”

Det Insp Dunstan said the young boy was known to both Layla and the police.

A police spokesman said Saturday the teenager was expected to appear in juvenile court in the afternoon for a detention hearing.

Residents of the small town with a population of approximately 1500 came together after the news that Leyla’s body was found.

Donald resident Peta Edmunds said the community is in grief.

“We are heartbroken and our entire community grieves the heartbreaking loss of beautiful Layla,” he said on Facebook.