Ten-year-old girl found with 'slashed throat' was 'beloved' student as mother arrested

Police have detained a mother for suspicion of murder after her daughter was found with a slashed throat . Sophie Wang, aged 10, was discovered in a house at Emerald Lakes on Australia's Gold Coast by her dad earlier this week. Her mother, Yingying Xu, 46, was later taken into custody and accused of her daughter's murder.

Xu did not show up at Southport Magistrates' Court today. The police sought to keep her identity a secret, but this was contested by a solicitor representing local media outlet s and the request was turned down. Detective Acting Inspector Kent Ellis remarked: "Yesterday police were called to a residence ... following a report of a young girl being discovered unresponsive by her father. Despite her father and paramedic's best efforts, the young girl was pronounced deceased."

Following the distressing event, Dan Brown, headmaster at Emmanuel College, wrote to parents saying: "It is with a heavy heart I inform you of a tragic incident that occurred in a home within Emerald Lakes last night, resulting in the passing of one of our beloved students," reports the Mirror .

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"We are devastated by this incident and know it will profoundly impact our school community. Our prayers go out to the family and friends of the child, and we extend our deepest condolences to all those affected by this tragedy."

Local residents expressed their shock at the tragic death of a young girl, with one neighbor, Chris Sydes, telling ABC: "It's devastating to hear the little girl [is dead]. It's heartbreaking, this shouldn't happen, it's just terrible."

"I've been home all day and I haven't heard anything, I had my dogs dropped off at 6 pm and all of a sudden police started showing up. I've since found out what's happened. It's just terrible news."

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Queensland Police released a statement saying: "A 46-year-old woman has been charged with murder following investigations into the death of a 10-year-old girl in Carrara overnight, August 13.

"Operation Whiskey Omega was established and following investigations, Gold Coast detectives located and arrested a 46-year-old Carrara woman at a nearby street around 10.25 pm. She has been charged with murder and is due to appear before Southport Magistrates Court this morning."

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