Teenage boy arrested after human remains found in search for missing 13-year-old girl Layla
Updated ,first published
A teenage boy has been arrested after a major police search in northwestern Victoria found human remains believed to be those of a 13-year-old girl.
The small country town of Donald was shocked after police searching for local teenager Layla Jeffery on Friday found a body on Thursday afternoon.
Detective Inspector Dave Dunstan, from Victoria Police’s missing persons squad, said police arrested a 16-year-old boy from the Swan Hill area on Friday afternoon.
“He is currently being questioned by detectives,” police said in a statement.
“Two women, a 53-year-old from Donald and a 55-year-old from Melbourne, are also assisting police with investigations.”
An extensive search for Layla was launched earlier this week near Donald (about 280 kilometers northwest of Melbourne) after a relative reported her missing on Sunday.
He was last seen Saturday on McCracken Boulevard in the west end of town.
Police said they were scouring brushland west of Byrne Street, near the Richardson River, which runs through Donald, when they found the remains.
“The remains have not yet been officially identified, but they are believed to belong to the missing 13-year-old girl named Layla,” police said.
“The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the girl’s death is ongoing, but police are currently treating the incident as suspicious.”
John McConville, president of Donald’s advancement charity Donald 2000, said the huge police presence in the tight-knit town of 1,500 was frustrating for locals.
“People were stunned by this incident. A police helicopter was hovering over the crime scene around the river flats,” McConville said, referring to the bushland along the Richardson River that runs through the center of town.
“It’s a huge concern… We feel for our mother, we all feel the pain. What can we do or what could we have done? It’s a little bit of a kick in the gut.”
Buloke Shire councilor Charmaine Delaney said she was still waiting for more details from police but said local residents would support the Jeffery family.
“It’s extremely tragic,” he said.
Police say the missing person search has focused on the wooded area west of Byrne Street in Donald this week. There were police dogs, specialist search and rescue officers and SES teams.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or send a confidential report to: crimtoppersvic.com.au
Be the first to know when important news happens. Sign up for breaking news alerts Turn on notifications in email or in the app.
Lachlan Abbott is a crime reporter for The Age. She was previously a city reporter, covering breaking news.Connect via email.
