Sophie Wang death, mother Yingying Xu charged: Everything we know about Gold Coast alleged murder
An elite Gold Coast college community is in shock after a 10-year-old girl found dead with a slashed throat was identified as a student. WHAT WE KNOW
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An elite Gold Coast college community was in shock in August 2024 after a 10-year-old girl found dead with a slashed throat was identified as a student.
This is everything we know so far >>>
Jump to: Timeline | Who is Sophie Wang | Who is Yingying Xu | Community reaction
What is the timeline of events?
Police and paramedics were called to a home at Emerald Lakes at Carrara just after 6pm on Tuesday where they found a 10-year-old girl, allegedly with her throat slashed.
Paramedics attempted to revive the girl but she was sadly declared dead at the scene.
Officers declared the area a crime scene and blocked off the street, launching a homicide investigation called Operation Whiskey Omega.
At 10.25pm, officers arrested and charged a 46-year-old woman, who was found at a nearby street.
She did not appear in court in person and police attempted to have her names and all details of the case suppressed in an application supported by her lawyer.
On Tuesday night, the street where the grim discovery was made was blocked off by police, who had multiple units at the scene.
An ambulance remained parked in front of the property, while shortly before 8pm a gazebo was erected beside it.
Forensics officers in blue suits were seen entering the property.
In an update on Wednesday morning Detective Acting Inspector Kent Ellis said the scene was the most confronting he had encountered and police were determined to see that justice was done.
Detective Ellis said the Triple 0 call to emergency services had been made by the girl’s father.
“ Despite the father and emergency services’ best efforts, the young 10-year-old girl was pronounced deceased by attending paramedics,” he said.
He said police understood the events had caused distress in the community, and urged anyone affected to reach out to support services.
An emotional ceremony was held by schoolmates on August 16.
Who is the victim, Sophie Wang?
The young girl has been identified as Sophie Wang, a Year 5 student at Emmanuel College.
Principal Dan Brown issuing a letter to the school community on Wednesday morning.
She was the daughter of Griffith University academic Dr Yun Wang, who discovered the mutilated body in the living room of their home at Emerald Lakes on the Gold Coast.
The girl was found about 6pm on Tuesday, with her throat slashed in a scene that left some first responders in tears.“That was a cry that words cannot explain … haunting.”
Neighbours reported hearing Dr Wang’s anguished cries after the gruesome discovery.
“I just heard him wailing. It was the most horrific sound I have ever heard,” neighbour Tracey Donovan said.
Dr Wang’s LinkedIn profile says he has worked at Griffith for almost 15 years, the past three as associate professor at the Gold Coast campus.
Sophie was honoured in the school newsletter last October after becoming one of 10 students inducted into the “EC (Emmanuel College) Millionaires” group for reading one million words.
Who has been charged?
Sophie’s mother, Yingying Xu, has been charged with murder over the horrific death. She has not entered a plea.
At 10.25pm, officers arrested and charged 46-year-old Xu, who was found at a nearby street.
Xu, did not appear in court in person and police attempted to have her names and all details of the case suppressed in an application supported by her lawyer.
But the prosecutor withdrew the suppression application after it was opposed by lawyers representing media outlets.
Magistrate Sue Ganasan accepted details of the case were already in the public realm.
Xu was remanded in custody to reappear in the magistrates court on November 29, with police ordered to provide a brief by November 8.
Murder accused cannot apply for bail in the magistrates court and have to seek Supreme Court bail.
In the days after the alleged murder it was revealed Xu may never face trial.
Legal sources say Yingying Xu may be dealt with by the Mental Health Court, which determines whether people with alleged mental illness are fit to be prosecuted.
Yingying Xu’s disturbing TikTok videos
Police were investigating several disturbing TikTok videos allegedly made by Xu in the lead-up to the tragedy.
In one video, a user calling herself uxyingemily 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.
What was the emergency services response?
Speaking at the scene, Inspector Lou Serafim said emergency services had been called by a male relative of the girl about 6pm.
“At approximately six o’clock this evening police received a triple-0 emergency call in relation to a 10-year-old girl who was located deceased in a unit,” she said.
“At this point in time we are treating the death of the 10-year-old girl as suspicious, and investigations are currently under way in relation to the demise of the girl.
“The triple-0 call was made by a relative who was at the incident scene when they located the 10-year-old girl.”
Insp Serafim said the girl lived at the address where her body was found.
She said people at the property had been co-operating with police.
“We’ve had nothing but co-operation from the people here and also the residents of the unit complex,” she said.
That included the man who called triple-0, who was seen wearing a blue forensic suit at the scene.
“He is a relative and he is being very cooperative and is assisting police with the investigation,” she said.
Insp Serafim was unable to say if police had recovered a weapon, or if officers knew how long the girl had been deceased before her body was discovered.
She said emergency services had encountered a confronting scene when they arrived at the property.
They had been receiving counselling after what they witnessed.
What did the school say?
Sophie Wang attended nearby Emmanuel College, with principal Dan Brown issuing a letter to the school community on Wednesday morning.
“It is with a heavy heart that 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,” the letter said.
“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.”
Mr Brown said in the letter a team of counselling staff would be available across both Emmanuel College and Josiah College to support grieving students.
On August 16 schoolmates took part in an emotional ceremony to pay tribute to their lost friend.
Students and staff at Emmanuel College at Carrara, where 10-year-old Sophie was a popular Year 5 pupil, gathered in the school grounds to lay flowers and attend a church service.
What has been the community response?
Neighbour Tracey Donovan said a couple lived at the address with their young daughter.
She described seeing what she believed was the father as he was led towards an ambulance at the crime scene overnight.
“I just heard him wailing” she said.
“It was the most horrific sound I have ever heard.
“That was a cry that words cannot explain – haunting.”
Detectives from the Child Protection and Investigation Unit were at the crime scene late into evening speaking with neighbours, according to miss Donovan.
She said the family were quiet and friendly – their daughter would often been seen playing with other children in the street.
“For something like this to happen it’s a real tragedy.
A resident said she was shocked by what had happened.
“It’s normally very quiet around here,” she said.
“I can’t believe it.”
Another local woman said she would struggle to sleep after hearing what had happened.
“It’s terrible, so upsetting,” she said.
The woman, who said she had herself lost a child to illness some years ago, said her thoughts were with the family of the dead girl.
“It (losing a child) is the worst feeling in the world,” she said.
Emerald Lakes residents took to a community Facebook page on Tuesday night to express their shock at the tragedy.
“I live just down the road and I’m in complete shock, my heart goes out to this family, I cannot imagine what they must be feeling. RIP little angel,” one woman posted.
Posting on Instagram, another local wrote: “This is my neighbourhood, our community, I’m crying, total shock, hold your loved ones even closer, what is happening to this world! RIP ANGEL, sending you all the love you deserve.”
Originally published as Sophie Wang death, mother Yingying Xu charged: Everything we know about Gold Coast alleged murder
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