Gold Coast alleged murder: Mother may never face trial for Sophie Wang’s death

A Gold Coast woman accused of slashing her daughter’s throat may never face trial due to mental health grounds, it has been revealed.

A Gold Coast mother charged with the horrific murder of her 10-year-old daughter may never face trial.

Legal sources say Yingying Xu, who is accused of slashing her daughter Sophie’s throat at their Emerald Lakes home on Tuesday night, may be dealt with by the Mental Health Court, which determines whether people with alleged mental illness are fit to be prosecuted.

Sophie’s father, Griffith University academic Dr Yun Wang, made the gruesome discovery after arriving home from work.

Xu was arrested several hours later at a nearby house.

Xu is understood to have had a history of mental health issues, with police examining three haunting TikTok videos she allegedly posted in the hours leading up to the tragedy.

In one since-deleted video, a user calling herself uxyingyingemily, said she recently felt that the “the devil Satan has been telling me that he has been influencing … interfering with my soul”.

“Then he will take 100 per cent captive, occupy my soul and go to the end of times,” she said.

Xu was believed to be a devout Christian and the videos also contain strong religious themes, including references to “the false Christ” and the “antiChrist”.

During her first court appearance on Wednesday, Southport magistrate Sue Ganasan asked police prosecutor Nicole Jackson if there were mental health issues involved in the case.

Yingying Xu is charged with murder.

Sophie Wang, 10, died of her injuries.

Sergeant Jackson, who had sought to have Xu’s name and other details of the court appearance suppressed to protect family members and witnesses, said she could not go into detail because it was not a matter for discussion at this time.

Criminal cases are referred to the Mental Health Court if it is believed an alleged offender is or was mentally ill, or has an intellectual disability.

The court, which is made up of Supreme Court judges and advised by a panel of psychiatrists, decides if the alleged offender was of unsound mind when the offence was committed and whether they are fit to stand trial.

Cases can be referred by defence lawyers, the Director of Public Prosecutions, courts or mental health and disability senior bureaucrats.

The Mental Health Court’s latest annual report reveals 12 people charged with murder or attempted murder were referred to the court in 2022-23.

Two of those charged were deemed permanently unfit for trial and forensic orders made, meaning they could be detained in a mental health facility. Another person charged with attempted murder was deemed unsound of mind and given a forensic order.

Three accused murderers were found to be not unsound of mind but were found to have diminished responsibility and deemed fit for trial.

Only one accused killer was found to be not unsound of mind or have diminished responsibility.

A total of 200 people were referred to the court in 2022-23, up from 191 references the previous year.

The report said the court had been struggling with steadily increasing demand for court examination orders, which require accused criminals to be mentally assessed.

But it said the backlog had been reduced after increased funding.

A candlelight vigil has been organised for Sophie Wang.

Premier Steven Miles said on Thursday it was too soon to jump to any conclusions about mental health factors in relation to Sophie Wang’s death.

He said police needed to conduct their investigation before the government looked at the effectiveness of its mental health levy or a potential royal commission.

“We need to let police do their work to determine exactly what events have led to this terrible, terrible thing happening,” he said.

Mr Miles said he completely understood police union president Ian Leavers’ call last week for a royal commission into mental health following a spate of police shootings, but the results of a parliamentary inquiry into mental health in 2022 needed time to play out.

Mr Leavers said on Thursday that police first on the scene at the Emerald Lakes tragedy were confronted by things they could never unsee, and we was concerned it may stay with them for the rest of their lives.

“It is my hope that we never see this type of incident again and perhaps the coroner may eventually provide some recommendations that could prevent a future family heartbreak,” he said.

Meanwhile, a candlelight vigil will be held for Sophie at Emerald Lakes on Friday afternoon.

“Please join us to remember and honour this beautiful young soul,” a community Facebook post read.

Residents took to the page to express their sorrow at the passing of Sophie who was a popular Year 5 student at the nearby Emmanuel College.

“Rest in peace beautiful Sophie, fly high you precious little one, you will be the brightest star in the sky,” one resident posted.

Originally published as Gold Coast alleged murder: Mother may never face trial for Sophie Wang’s death