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A man has been charged for the murder of 11-year-old Zoe Buttigieg.

UPDATE:  Homicide Squad detectives have charged a Mildura man in relation to the death of 11-year-old girl Zoe Buttigieg in Wangaratta on Sunday morning.

The 29-year-old, who had been previously held in a psychiatric ward under police guard, has now been charged with one count each of murder, sexual penetration of a child under 16 and indecent act with a child under 16, according to Victoria Police.

He will face an out of sessions’ remand hearing at Wangaratta this evening and will be remanded in to custody to appear at Wangaratta Magistrates court tomorrow.

Previously we reported:

Further details have emerged about the night that 11-year-old Zoe Buttigieg died in her Wangaratta home.

According to the Daily Mail, Zoe’s mother, Janelle Saunders, who discovered her body in a bedroom of the house early on Sunday morning, had spent “several hours” away from the property as a party raged the night before.

She is currently undergoing psychological counselling and staying at another address.

“We don’t know how she is, we haven’t heard anything since it happened,” a close friend of Ms Saunders told the Daily Mail.

“This is a very tight little street.”

Hundreds gathered to farewell Zoe near her home. Image via Twitter (@plumshot).

Hundreds gathered at a candlelight vigil to farewell Zoe, releasing balloons at sunset.

Neighbours told the Daily Mail  that no one had seen anything suspicious, but that ice was increasingly a problem in the area.

One resident, Heather Mann, said she had often encountered dangerous characters and had recently been threatened with assault.

“It’s required intervention orders,” Ms Mann said.

“Alcohol and ice and the two together are a problem here.”

Homicide detectives have yet to interview the lead suspect in her murder, a 29-year-old Mildura man, who remains under police guard in Kerford psychiatric unit.

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The cover of Tuesday’s Herald Sun.

The suspect, has  now been described as an acquaintance of the family and was invited to the party where an altercation is thought to have broken out just after midnight on Sunday.

He  was found wandering shoeless and dressed in a singlet and cargo pants on the Hume Highway just hours after Zoe’s body was found.

According the yesterday’s Herald Sun, neighbours had reported hearing a “terrible, terrifying scream, like someone wailing” coming from the property around 11am on Sunday.

They described Zoe as a “little angel”, quiet but well-liked who loved playing with her pet dog Jax.

“She was always with her dog Jax,” one told the newspaper.

“She was shy but always had a smile on her face.”

Aside from the vigil dozens of Zoe’s classmates have also visited her home in the 48 hours following her death, leaving behind touching tributes in the form of balloons, cards and toys.

“I will miss playing with you,” a card read.

Tributes left by Zoe’s classmates. Image via Twitter (@tdolling)

Zoe had been living with her mother and her mother’s long-term partner, having moved into the house three or four years ago.

Neighbours have said that there were often parties at the house and were not particularly concerned about this weekend’s event.

“We didn’t really take much notice,” neighbour Dirk Todd told the Age.

“There are parties there probably every second weekend. It’s a bit too close, it’s not a nice thing.”

Zoe’s mother and her stepfather are not suspects in her death and their family has been described as a happy one.

They enjoyed holidaying at the beach and the snow, Ms Saunders has the words “Zoe Louise” tattooed on her wrist.

Zoe’s biological father died suddenly a number of years ago.

Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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