Accused killer claims nine-year-old was shot dead by her mother in Charlise Mutten murder trial
- Nine-year-old Charlise Mutten was 'excited' before a fatal Christmas trip with the alleged killer, according to jury testimony.
- Accused killer Justin Stein claims that Charlise Mutten was shot dead by her mother, not by him, as the trial unfolds in the NSW supreme court.
- The murder trial raises questions about the tragic death of Charlise Mutten and the conflicting claims made by the accused killer.
A schoolgirl asked her grandfather if her alleged killer, Justin Stein, would be a good dad. This was shared in the NSW Supreme Court. Charlise Mutten, the girl, liked Stein and was happy to spend Christmas with him and her mother. She had been living with her grandparents since she was four because her mother had drug problems. The girl's grandfather thought she was safe with Stein and her mother, despite their history of drug use. Charlise, her mother, and Stein were seen together at a caravan park before the girl disappeared. On January 12, 2022, Stein took Charlise back to Mount Wilson while her mother stayed at the caravan. Charlise's body was found in a barrel near the Colo River four days later. Stein claimed that Charlise's mother shot the girl, not him. He had changed his story multiple times, initially pretending to search for Charlise before blaming her mother for the shooting. Stein was accused of transporting Charlise's body in a barrel on his ute to dispose of it. CCTV footage showed him buying items before dumping the body. The prosecution claimed that Stein shot Charlise. Phone records indicated that Charlise's mother was worried about her daughter's disappearance. The trial was described as difficult due to the death of a child.