Map shows Charlise Mutten’s final journey from the Blue Mountains, to inner Sydney and the Colo River

A map of the key areas in the Charlise Mutten tragedy show the lengthy journey that allegedly saw the nine-year-old’s remains shuttled for upwards of 200kms.

The tragic death of nine-year-old schoolgirl Charlise Mutten has sent shockwaves around Australia.

On Tuesday, police discovered her body inside a barrel near the Colo River, 76km from Sydney and 65km from the luxury Wildenstein property where Charlise was first reported missing at on Friday.

She was supposedly staying at the estate while on holiday with her mother, Kallista Mutten and stepfather Justin Stein, who has since been charged with her murder.

Accounting for the distance, police allege Charlise’s stepdad travelled from Wildenstein, to the north west and inner west suburbs of Sydney and back to the Colo River near the Haweksbury. The trip would have seen him spend up to five hours driving an upwards of 200kms.

According to a report from the Daily Telegraph, investigators pieced together GPS data, CCTV footage and phone records which police allege places Stein at several locations around greater Sydney, in an attempt to dispose of Charlise’s body.

“What we are sure of is that (we will allege) the accused we have charged with murder was responsible for placing her in the barrel and placing the barrel in bushland,” said Deputy Commissioner Dave Hudson.

After departing from Wildenstein on Thursday morning, Stein allegedly placed Charlise’s body in a barrel before driving to the northwest suburb of Marsden Park, with a boat in tow. From there police allege he purchased five 20kg bags of sand from the Marsden Park Bunnings, before driving 550m to the BP located in the same suburb.

Throughout the day, detectives also believe Stein was in communication with Ms Mutten. Detectives believe there is “no evidence” she was involved in her daughter’s disappearance.

“[There were] a number of telephone conversations with the girl’s mother, to purchase a number of 20kg sandbags from a hardware store, to fuel a boat and then try and float that boat on the water at one of the docks in inner Sydney,” said Mr Hudson.

It’s believed Stein travelled from the Blue Mountains, to the inner west suburbs of Sydney and back to the Hawksberry, with the remains of Charlise on his vehicle. Picture: Supplied.

From there, police allege Stein madeo a series of bungled attempts to dispose of his stepdaughter’s remains.

Police will allege the Sydney man was unable to launch his boat from the ramps at Five Dock and Windsor, which he travelled to in an attempt to “try and float that boat on the water”.

After the unnsuccesfful attempts, police allege Stein drove 43kms to the Colo River, where they believe he planned on sinking the barrel into the water, using the 100 kgs of sand he had allegedly purchased at Bunnings.

However buoyed down with the sand, Stein was allegedly forced to place the vessel on the shores of the river, where Charlise’s hidden body remained for the next five days, until police made the horrific hiscovery on Tuesday.

Between Tuesday, January 11 (when police allege Charlise was killed), to Stein’s family reacting to his murder charges, here’s how the tragedy unfolded.

Charlise Mutten, nine, was allegedly murdered by her mother’s fiance. Picture: Facebook

Tuesday, January 11

Nine-year-old girl Charlise Mutten is allegedly killed by stepdad Justin Stein, 31, some time between 7pm on Tuesday and 10am on Wednesday, according to court documents.

Charlise usually lives with her grandmother in Coolangatta, Queensland, but is spending two weeks during school holidays with her mother Kallista Mutten, 31, and her fiance at a property in the Blue Mountains, northwest of Sydney. The property is believed to be the multimillion dollar Wildenstein wedding venue which is owned by Stein’s family.

According to The Daily Telegraph, detectives will allege Ms Mutten had left Charlise in the care of Stein on Tuesday night. The Telegraph also state Ms Mutten was staying at the Riviera Ski Garden in Lower Portland, at the time of her daughter’s alleged murder, roughly 80km east from the Wildenstein property.

Thursday, January 13

Police are later told Charlise was last seen on Thursday on the veranda of the Mount Wilson property.

The 12.5-acre Wildenstein estate, a popular wedding venue, is owned by Stein’s wealthy family and is listed as his home address.

Stein allegedly has phone conversations with Ms Mutten discussing purchasing a number of 20kg sandbags from a hardware store, “to fuel a boat and then try and float that boat on the water at one of the one of the docks in inner Sydney”.

Police will allege Stein purchased five 20kg bags of sand from Bunnings.

They claim he then drives around Sydney for up to five hours with Charlise’s body while he tries to work out where to dump her.

Stein allegedly then visits a number of locations including a BP service station in Marsden Park, a Five Dock boat ramp and a Windsor boat ramp.

Police allege after unsuccessfully attempting to launch the boat, which is inoperable, from an inner-Sydney dock, he ends up hiding the heavy barrel containing Charlise’s body in dense bushland after struggling to dump it in the Colo River.

Police and RFS search bushland around the property. Picture: David Swift

Friday, January 14

Charlise is reported missing at 8.20am on Friday.

A massive air and ground search begins to find her, as more than 100 police, State Emergency Service (SES) and Rural Fire Service (RFS) personnel scour dense bushland around the property.

Neighbours report seeing a car leaving the property without headlights about 4.30am Friday.

Charlise’s mother collapses and is taken to hospital.

Stein speaks with police at Penrith.

Police seize Stein’s red Holden Colorado ute outside the police station for forensic testing.

It’s believed Ms Mutten also suffered a medical episode during police questioning, which resulted in her being taken to Blue Mountains Hospital at Katoomba.

Saturday, January 15

Homicide detectives take over the search and the property is declared a crime scene.

Strike Force Buena is established by Blue Mountains Police Area Command and assisted by the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad to investigate the girl’s disappearance.

Senior investigators say they won’t rule anything out.

Police divers seize a boat in the Hawkesbury River and test it for fingerprints. The boat is kept for forensic testing.

The search continues in the dense bushland around the property.

Police tow away a red ute for forensic testing. Picture: Nine News

Sunday, January 16

RFS volunteers report finding “very small and barefooted” footprints on a fire trail.

NSW Police say “certain items have been found and identified … but unfortunately (they) haven’t led to anything that gives us a definite indication of her location”.

Investigators scour the Hawkesbury River.

Monday, January 17

A large number of police and detectives enter the Blue Mountains property.

Media are told to leave.

Reports at the time indicated police intended to interview Charlise’s mother, but it is understood this did not occur.

Tuesday, January 18

Officers attached to Strike Force Buena conduct a search near the Colo River.

The body of a child is located in a barrel.

At about 8.30pm, Stein is arrested at a unit in Riley Street, Surry Hills.

He is taken to Surry Hills Police Station and charged with murder.

Justin Stein has been charged with murder. Picture: Facebook

Wednesday, January 19

Stein appears in Central Local Court on Wednesday charged with murder, wearing a grey jumper and blue face mask.

His lawyer says his client has longstanding mental health issues that requires high dosages of medications.

He requests Stein be placed in protective custody amid concerns for his safety. The magistrate says that request must be made with Corrective Services.

Stein is remanded in custody to next appear in court March 18.

Police reveal that the search for the girl took place as homicide detectives pursued a number of leads, particularly using CCTV, GPS data and phone records to track Stein’s movements.

They say they were tipped off by “inconsistencies” in the version of events he gave to police.

Post-mortem examination to determine the cause and “purpose” of Charlise’s death is expected to take roughly a week, police say.

Ms Mutten is still under medical supervision and yet to be interviewed by police.

Charlise’s biological father, Scott Hensby, posts and emotional tribute to his daughter on Facebook.

“Goodbye you beautiful little girl,” he writes. “I love you so much. I miss you every day.”

Charlise’s biological father, Scott Hensby posted in honour of his daughter on Facebook. Picture: Facebook.

Thursday, January 20

In an unexpected twist, the mother of Stein, has come out to defend her son, claiming he “had a pretty tortured life”.

“You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make them drink, or choose their partners,” Annemie Stein, 56, told The Daily Telegraph in an exclusive interview.

“It would hurt anyone (to have a child go through this), it doesn’t matter who you are it would hurt you because parents know their children and, you know, as I said, the mother is the one they need to talk to.”

Ms Stein described Charlise as “a lovely little girl and beautiful little girl (who) definitely didn’t deserve this.”

— with NCA NewsWire

Originally published as Map shows Charlise Mutten’s final journey from the Blue Mountains, to inner Sydney and the Colo River