Tuesday Jun 27 10:30 AEST
Picture: National Nine News
A man is in police custody following the murder of an eight-year-old girl in a shopping centre toilet in suburban Perth.
The eight-year-old's body was discovered by her 14-year-old brother in a disabled toilet at Canning Vale's Livingston Marketplace, in the city's south-east, about 4.10pm (WST) on Monday.
The girl's uncle and brother went into the toilets after she failed to come out.
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The boy told police he saw a man leave the toilet as he returned from searching the carpark.
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He chased the man but lost him at the shopping centre's main entrance.
The major crime squad is treating the death as murder.
Officers will on Tuesday set up a mobile investigation unit outside the centre, and begin questioning staff, police spokesman Ian Hasleby said.
"Police are calling for staff or any shoppers who may have seen anyone acting suspicious between 3 and 4.30pm (WST) to come forward," Mr Hasleby said.
He could not comment on reports the girl was found naked.
The man was described as being about 27 years of age, with blond hair, chubby to muscular build, 181cm tall with a fair to pale complexion.
The toilet where the girl's body was found is in a well-used area of the complex, near the entrance to a Big W store.
©AAP 2006
RIP 2 the girl, just horrible!
