Exchange student, 13, in custody after 14-year-old girl fatally stabbed at NSW host family home
The 13-year-old girl, also a Chinese student, was assisting police on Tuesday afternoon following the death of the 14-year-old in the NSW Hunter region.
The pair travelled to Australia as part of a program to attend a local school and were staying at the same residence.
'We're not aware of any other relationship between the two young girls other than they were both part of this program and staying with the host family,' NSW police Supt Tracy Chapman told reporters.
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The stabbing allegedly took place after residents of the home, west of Newcastle, had gone to bed.
Emergency services were called about 10.20pm on Monday after one of the hosts heard a commotion and found the 14-year-old girl with stab wounds.
She was treated at the scene before paramedics took her to John Hunter hospital, where she later died.
A kitchen knife was seized for forensic examination. No charges have been laid.
The students arrived in Australia in late July and were expected to depart in mid-August, Chapman said.
Police were working with the Chinese consulate to notify their families.
Specialist detectives and the homicide squad are part of the complex investigation.
'As you can imagine, an investigation with young girls involved, language barriers, working through the consulate – they're not Australian residents obviously - and so there are obvious complications,' Chapman said.
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