The Gold Coast community is mourning the loss of schoolgirl Charlise Mutten who was allegedly murdered on a family holiday at the New South Wales Blue Mountains last week.
Charlise lived with her grandmother at Coolangatta on the Queensland-NSW border and attended school at nearby Tweed Heads Public School.
The school said it has been left "devastated" and "in shock" by the news overnight.
She had been holidaying with her mother Kallista Mutten and her partner Justin Stein at a Mount Wilson wedding and function venue when the nine-year-old disappeared Thursday afternoon and was reported missing on Friday.
Mr Stein, 32, was arrested and charged in Sydney at a Surry Hills unit last night and will appear at Central Local Court today.
It is understood a child's body was located in a barrel near the Colo River, about an hour from the Blue Mountains, where police carried out a search Tuesday night.
The child's body is yet to be formally identified but police say the remains found in the barrel are consistent with Charlise Mutten.
Community in mourning
The tight-knit Coolangatta-Tweed community where Charlise and her grandmother resided have been left rocked by the news, with floral tributes already being laid outside the school fence where she was due to return next week.
The school released a statement this morning saying they were "devastated" and would be offering support to students and staff.
"We are absolutely devastated to hear this morning's news about Charlise," the statement said.
"Our hearts go out to her family, we cannot begin to imagine the distress they must feel.
"Charlise was a much loved member of our school who brightened all our days, every day.
"Today we will be in touch with the Department of Education to explore options to support our students and staff when school resumes."
The school shared the last photo it had with Charlise from a 2021 presentation day where she received a class award for literacy.
Currumbin MP Laura Gerber, who represents the southern Gold Coast community, said the community will do its best to support the family, with a candlelight vigil already set to take place tonight outside Tweed Heads Public School.
"I've reached out to the school community, but I think the community really just wants to wrap their arms around the family and be there in any possible way to let them know that they care.
"I think the sentiment at the moment is that they're just remembering Charlise as the kind, beautiful, little girl that she was.
"All we can do is show them that we care [the family] and we love them and let them express themselves in any way they see fit … and do anything we can to support them."
Police investigation
Gold Coast Police Acting Chief Superintendent Rhys Wildman said they had offered their assistance to the investigating team in NSW should any follow up enquiries need to be made locally.
"Even though a man has been charged in relation to the matter there are always back end enquiries that need to be made to close up lines of enquiry, so that's where we may be able to assist."
Acting Chief Superintendent Wildman said any loss of life was a tragedy.
"To lose your life in such circumstance, and especially such a young girl," he said.
"It reminds us all to play close attention to our loved ones and support those around us.
