Human remains discovered in bushland near the small Victorian town of Donald on Thursday, July 9, have been identified as those of Layla Jeffery, a 13-year-old girl reported missing days earlier. A 16-year-old boy from the Swan Hill area has been charged with one count of murder in connection with her death.
The arrest was made Friday morning around 11 a.m. when detectives executed a search warrant at a Donald residence, according to Detective Inspector Dave Dunstan of the Missing Persons Squad. Dunstan told reporters that afternoon, “At this location, we’ve arrested a 16-year-old youth.” The teenager was known to both Jeffery and to police, Dunstan said.
Jeffery was last seen on McCracken Avenue in Donald on Saturday, July 4. When she had not been heard from, a family member reported her missing the following day, Sunday, July 5.
Large-Scale Operation Ends in Discovery
What started as a search for a missing girl became a far more serious investigation over the following days. A large-scale operation involving local officers, the dog squad, the air wing and the search and rescue squad combed bushland west of Byrne Street. Late Thursday afternoon, investigators found a body in the rural western town. The remains were later identified as Jeffery.
Two women, a 53-year-old from Donald and a 55-year-old from Melbourne, were assisting officers with their inquiries as of Friday afternoon. Neither woman had been charged as of the most recent statement from investigators.
Victoria Police confirmed the murder charge on Saturday, July 11, in a statement issued at 5:03 p.m. The boy, whose name is being withheld by authorities, was expected to appear before a children’s court that afternoon for a remand hearing. It remains unclear whether he has entered a plea to the charge. As of Monday, police had not disclosed her cause of death.
Donald Reels From Loss
In Donald, a town of roughly 1,500 people, the news has shaken residents. Donald resident Peta Edmonds described a town in mourning. “Our hearts are broken, and our entire community is grieving the heartbreaking loss of beautiful Layla,” she wrote on Facebook.
Jeffery’s aunt, Kaitlyn Cheyne, remembered her as a “very sweet and fairly shy girl.” The family was devastated and struggling to cope with Jeffery’s loss, particularly given the tragic nature of her death, Cheyne said.
A GoFundMe campaign established to help Jeffery’s family with memorial expenses and other costs had raised more than 44,000 Australian dollars. Donations have continued to flow in from across the region and beyond as word of the case has spread. The fundraiser, created in the wake of the tragedy, reflects the breadth of concern and solidarity that has emerged from the wider community beyond Donald’s borders.
Investigation Continues
The investigation remains active, and police have not indicated whether additional charges may follow. The identity of the accused remains shielded under laws governing minors, and the case is set to proceed through the children’s court system.
Investigators have confirmed the teenage boy and Jeffery knew one another but have not elaborated on that detail.
