On August 4th, a 13-year-old female exchange student from China allegedly stabbed to death another 14-year-old female exchange student in the host family’s home in Australia and was subsequently arrested.
According to a report from The Guardian on August 5th, the incident took place in the town of Edgeworth in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales. At 10:20 pm on August 4th, the couple in their 50s who were the hosts heard an argument coming from the bedroom. Upon opening the door, they found the 14-year-old student wounded with a knife and immediately called an ambulance and the police. The 14-year-old student was taken to the hospital but unfortunately succumbed to her injuries. The 13-year-old Chinese student was arrested on the spot.
The hosts mentioned that due to the language barrier, they were not clear on what the two individuals were arguing about.
It was reported that the two girls arrived in Australia under the same exchange program a week ago, stayed in the same host family, and attended a local school. They were scheduled to return to their respective countries on the 16th of this month.
Police found a kitchen knife at the scene, believed to have been taken from a drawer in the kitchen and used as the weapon. The 13-year-old female exchange student is charged with murder and is set to appear in the local children’s court on the 6th.
Tracy Chapman, the Police Commissioner of the Lake Macquarie district in New South Wales, stated, “Apart from both participating in the study program and residing in the same host family, we do not know if there were any other relationships between these two girls.”
Chapman mentioned that the investigation is challenging due to involving minors, language barriers, and the fact that the individuals involved are not Australian residents. The authorities are collaborating with the Chinese Consulate to investigate the case.