Teen faces court over stabbing murder of woman, 12yo girl

UPDATE: A teen charged with the stabbing murder of a Toowoomba mother and her 12-year-old daughter has appeared in Toowoomba Children's Court.

UPDATE: A 16-year-old charged with the stabbing murder of a Toowoomba mother and her 12-year-old daughter has appeared in Toowoomba Children's Court this morning.

Defence solicitor Phil Stainton asked for the matter to be adjourned for three months.

Magistrate Damian Carroll addressed the murder accused, telling him he didn't have the jurisdiction to grant him bail.

The defendant indicated he understood that.

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The matters were adjourned until May 1 to appear back in Toowoomba Children's Court.

A female supporter waved to the 16-year-old as he was led from the court, blowing him a kiss.

He has been remanded in custody.

6.30AM: A 16-year-old boy will face court in Toowoomba today charged with butchering a Toowoomba mother and her 12-year-old daughter.

Fatal stabbing of mum, 12yo daughter

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Melanie Perks and her daughter Ebony were found dead in their Newtown home yesterday morning. Ebony was due to start Year 7 that day.

The teenage boy will face two counts of murder and will be dealt with under the Juvenile Justices Act.

TUESDAY 5.30PM: A teenage boy has been charged over the stabbing deaths of Melanie Perks and her 12-year-old daughter, Ebony, in their Toowoomba home.

The 16-year-old has been charged with two counts of murder and will be dealt with under the Juvenile Justices Act.

Ebony Perks, 12, was stabbed to death in her family's Redwood St home in Newtown on Tuesday. Her mother was also killed. Picture: Contributed

TUESDAY 1PM: A teenage boy has been taken into custody after Toowoomba mother Melanie Perks and her 12-year-old daughter were stabbed to death in their Newtown home.

No screams alerted neighbours of the killing - it began like any other day on Redwood St, a quiet suburban neighbourhood in which residents "kept to themselves".

They had no idea what darkness lay behind the deceiving silence, only learning of the double killing once police arrived at the scene about 9.30am today.

A 16-year-old suspect sat in the back of a police van while Melanie Perks and her young daughter lay lifeless inside their house.

Melissa Reeves met Melanie when the duo took part in an aged-care course last year.

They drummed up a friendship and kept in regular contact on Facebook.

"She was just a really nice lady," Ms Reeves said.

"A few of us from the course got together every now and then.

"It's a huge shock to hear that she has been killed."

Mother Melanie Perks and her 12-year-old daughter were stabbed to death today. A 16-year-old boy is in police custody for questioning. . Picture: Contributed

Having completed the course, Melanie landed a nursing job in aged care in May last year.

Her Facebook profile revealed a creative woman who designed and sold her own jewellery and had a soft-spot for rescuing animals.

Last May, she posted "thought about adopting another cat today but didn't as it would have upset the slightly harmonious relationship of the three cat(s) I already have".

Fatal double stabbing Toowoomba

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Police have described the crime scene as "horrific".

Initial phone calls alerting police and paramedics to the stabbing were made by the suspect himself, coming from inside the house.

"Quite obviously, it's a very distressing state for police to arrive ... and find this horrific scene," Detective Inspector Paul McCusker said.

"We're assisting those police and the members of the Queensland Ambulance Service."

The home was decorated with gothic artwork and memorabilia - similar in style to those pieces of jewellery Melanie designed and sold through Facebook.

Neighbour Phyllis Sutton was shocked to learn of the killing.

It was rubbish collection day.

As she walked outside to move her bin, she noticed the flashing lights and police tape surrounding the house across the road.

"I had no idea ... I didn't hear anything out of the ordinary," she said.

"Everyone around here pretty much keeps to themselves.

"The people from that house could probably have walked down the street and I wouldn't know who they were.

Police cordon off Redwood St in Newtown after the double stabbing deaths of a woman and her 12-year-old daughter. Picture: Nev Madsen

"Occasionally we get some riff-raff driving along and breaking our letterboxes, but other than that it's pretty quiet."

The owner of the rental property, who lives in Grafton in New South Wales, said the family had been tenants "for quite some time".

The entire street remained a crime scene yesterday.

Police did not reveal whether the 16-year-old suspect would face Toowoomba Magistrates Court this week.

Originally published as Teen faces court over stabbing murder of woman, 12yo girl