German police officers investigate an unoccupied house in Altglietzen, Brandenburg, where the body of 13-year-old Vietnamese-origin girl Lisa Tạ was found on November 8. — Photo courtesy of Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA)

BERLIN — German investigators are working to establish how a 13-year-old Vietnamese-origin girl died after her body was discovered in an unoccupied house in Brandenburg, with a post-mortem examination expected to provide important clues.

Lisa Tạ, who disappeared while travelling to school in Berlin on November 3, was found dead on Sunday (November 8) in a house in Altglietzen, a district of Bad Freienwalde, about 50km northeast of the German capital.

A man found seriously injured alongside her body was arrested on suspicion of being responsible for her death, according to a joint statement issued by Berlin police and prosecutors.

The suspect is being treated in hospital in critical condition and remains under police guard. Investigators believe he inflicted the injuries on himself. His identity has not yet been established, authorities said.

Berlin prosecutors’ spokesman Michael Petzold told German media that the circumstances surrounding Lisa’s death remained unclear. A post-mortem examination was expected to take place on Monday to help determine the cause and circumstances of her death, German news agency DPA reported.

Investigators from Berlin’s State Criminal Police Office and Brandenburg police are examining the scene and collecting forensic evidence.

The discovery came after Brandenburg police received a report at around noon on Sunday that unauthorised people had entered an unoccupied house in Altglietzen.

Officers sent to investigate found Lisa’s body and the seriously injured man inside. The discovery was unexpected, as investigators had not previously found evidence suggesting that the girl had been taken to the area.

Authorities had launched an extensive search after Lisa disappeared from her home in Berlin’s Marzahn district on November 3.

She left home at around 7:15am to travel to school and was expected to catch a bus from Barnimplatz at about 7:30am. However, she never arrived at school.

Her mobile phone became unreachable shortly after she left home, and investigators found no indication that she had voluntarily left her family or social environment.

The investigation was taken over by the Fifth Homicide Squad of Berlin’s State Criminal Police Office after authorities identified indications of a possible serious criminal offence.

Police deployed large numbers of officers, search dogs and a helicopter during the operation, while appealing to the public for information.

The case has raised further questions about what happened to Lisa between her disappearance and the discovery of her body five days later.

Investigators are seeking to establish the suspect’s identity, his possible connection to the girl, the circumstances of her death and a possible motive.

The investigation is being conducted by Berlin prosecutors and homicide investigators in cooperation with Brandenburg police. — VNS