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Karl Stefanovic's heart-wrenching tribute to 11-year-old Zoe Buttigieg.

 

“She’ll never graduate from high school, she will never get married and she will never have kids of her own.”

Last night, news broke that a man had been arrested in relation to the death of 11-year-old Zoe Buttigieg, whose body was found in a bedroom of her family’s Wangaratta home on Sunday morning.

The 29-year-old Mildura man 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.

Over a slide show of images of the little girl, Today host Karl Stefanovic paid tribute to her, barely able to control the emotion in his voice.

“In the last week we have been shocked and shamed, again, by violence against children,” he said.

“Look at that face. Zoe was 11 and she was allegedly raped and killed.

“She’ll never graduate from high school, she will never get married and she will never have kids of her own.

“She is one year older than my daughter.”

Watch the segment in full here (post continues after video):

Video via Channel 9

The accused, who is expected to appear in court this morning, was found wandering without shoes on the Hume Highway, hours after Zoe’s death.

He is believed to be an acquaintance of the family who attended a party at their house on Saturday evening.

You can read more on this here.

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