00:00The 14-year-old girl died at Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital
00:05after she was allegedly stabbed at a home at Edgeworth
00:09near Newcastle on Monday night.
00:12Now, the 13-year-old girl, she has been charged with murder.
00:17She cannot be named for legal reasons
00:19and she had her case mentioned at a children's court
00:22in Newcastle this morning.
00:24Now, Magistrate Andrew Eckhold, he told the court
00:27the accused's mental health may have led to her becoming
00:30quote, disassociated and psychotic
00:33at the time the alleged murder took place.
00:36And he did say that the case is a very complex matter.
00:40Now, the lawyer acting on the girl's behalf today,
00:43they did not apply for bail for the girl
00:46and it was formally refused.
00:48So she will be remaining in the custody of the juvenile system.
00:52The Magistrate said the juvenile system is well prepared
00:55to support youths in custody
00:57who are experiencing mental health adversity.
01:01He said the system is very sensitive to mental health matters
01:04and is a very well-resourced system in that regard.
01:08And after the incident,
01:09we did hear from New South Wales police investigators.
01:13They said they weren't aware of any relationship
01:16between the teenagers
01:17other than them being on the same study program.
01:20Now, the ABC, we did receive a statement today
01:24from the Council of Australian Student Exchange Organisations.
01:29They told us that the girls, from what they understand,
01:31were not on an exchange program,
01:34but what's known as a study tour.
01:36The spokesperson did tell us that there is a legal
01:40and an operational difference between the two.
01:43They essentially said an exchange program
01:45is a reciprocal arrangement
01:47between a non-profit exchange organisations
01:50and they are registered
01:51and is strictly regulated by particular bodies
01:55and also by visa processes.
01:57While a study tour program
01:59generally involves a full fee-paying student
02:03enrolled for a short time of around 12 or so weeks
02:06without that reciprocal formal exchange structure.
02:10Now, the Children's Court here in Newcastle
02:12did hear today, as I mentioned,
02:15that this girl has been refused bail.
02:17She did not apply for bail.
02:19And this case will be listed next in court in October.
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