Youth facing charge over teenager's death faces court, and her father
With a photograph of his late daughter emblazoned on his chest, the father of Laa Chol laid eyes on the youth accused of being an accessory to her murder for the first time in a Children’s Court room on Monday.
The grieving father sat silently alongside his wife and more than a dozen friends and family while the 16-year-old’s image was beamed into the room via video link during his brief, nine-minute appearance.
The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with being an accessory to murder after the killing of Ms Chol, 19, inside a Melbourne CBD apartment on July 21.
The Children’s Court heard the crown requires more time to prepare their evidence with a number of witnesses still to be formally questioned.
The court was also told there has been problems with obtaining a DNA sample from the 16-year-old.
“It’s been adjourned until your lawyer receives some further information on your matter,” the magistrate told the teen.
“Yeah, sweet,” he replied.
Ms Chol, from Pakenham, died following an incident at an out-of-control party at a high-rise apartment in A’Beckett Street.
The official cause of her death has not been confirmed by police but it is understood she was stabbed during a fight that broke out in the apartment.
A second teenager, a 17-year-old, has been charged with murder.
The case will return to court on October.