Slumber party murder: Swedish girl, 14, kidnapped, tied up and killed on her way to sleepover – two girls who knew the victim arrested

A teenage girl was kidnapped, tied up and killed while on her way to a sleepover in Sweden.

Emilia Sjoberg, 14, was found dead last week in the southern Swedish town of Landskrona. She was bound with silver duct tape and had several cuts and bruises on her body, according to local media.

Two girls, both aged 15, have reportedly been arrested in connection with Emilia’s kidnapping and murder.

Police claim they were friends with Emilia and invited her to a sleepover before luring her to an industrial estate near the local train station where they killed her.

Chief investigator Kenth Pehrsson said Emilia’s body showed signs of “serious violence” but did not reveal the cause of her death.

“She was found with such injuries and in such circumstances that we suspect that she was killed and that she was deprived of her liberty before that,” added prosecutor Tomas Olvmyr.

According to local court documents, Emilia was allegedly killed between July 21 and 22 and her body was found shortly after midnight on Tuesday, July 23.

The first girl, aged 15, was arrested on Wednesday in connection with Emilia’s kidnapping and murder, before the second girl, aged 15, was taken into custody a day later.

One of the girls reportedly confessed to her involvement in the crime. “She also provided information about the circumstances that led to this situation,” according to the prosecutor.

The girl’s lawyer, Maria Stahl Lindgren, confirmed to local media that her client had spoken to police and the prosecutor added that both girls had made “certain concessions” to investigators.

“It is clear that these three people know each other. The two suspects know each other and both know the complainant,” the prosecutor said.

The motive for the brutal murder was a fight over an insult, according to information obtained by Swedish newspaper Expressen – with Emilia’s mother, Anna Sjoberg, telling media outlet Aftonbladet that her daughter was killed out of jealousy over a boy.

One of the suspects reportedly told police that there was no plan to kill Emilia and that a fight had “escalated.”

But Expressen reports that the girls had prepared for the encounter by stealing silver duct tape and a knife from various stores.

The 15-year-old girl, who was first arrested for the murder, is believed to have been staying at the same youth home where Emilia lived until recently. She remains in custody while the other girl has been taken into care by social services.

The girls even filmed part of the attack, during which she brutally beat Emilia, according to Expressen.

On Thursday, local police and coastguards searched the port near the industrial area, but did not specify what they were looking for. Two days earlier, a bag containing Emilia’s bank cards and other personal belongings was found in the water.

Later in the day, Chief Investigator Pehrsson said police had found a knife near the crime scene, which he did not rule out as the murder weapon. He added that a second knife had also been seized.

Anna Sjoberg, the mother of Emilia, 33, told local media that the family was struggling to come to terms with her daughter’s death: “I can’t accept that she is dead. We are in shock. Every time the bell rings, I check if it is her. I am in denial.”

“We haven’t accepted it yet, we won’t accept it until we see it.”

Police told the family they had identified Emilia, although the results of a DNA test and a comparison of dental records are still pending, according to her mother.

Ms Sjoberg, who had Emilia when she was 19, said the family had not been allowed to view Emilia’s body and hoped to do so this week.

“When the police came with a priest and told me they had bad news, I said they couldn’t tell me because my father and mother were already dead,” said a devastated Ms Sjoberg.

She added that since she was informed of her daughter’s death early last week, she has been in disbelief: “I don’t understand why anyone would want to hurt her.”

“My daughter was an angel who always stood up for others. Maybe the world wasn’t ready for her,” she told Swedish channel TV4 Nyheterna.

Ms Sjoberg said her daughter was stressed about the sleepover and had argued with her, before Emilia texted her while she was on the train.

“Sorry, Mom, for acting out because I was stressed. I love you and you are my life,” Emilia’s last message to her mother said.

The two had just started living together again after Emilia was placed in foster care at age 5.

“We were about to start all over again and we planned what our house would look like. I had just finished building a dressing table for her and she had to choose other furniture. She was so happy,” her mother told TV4.

Ms. Sjoberg said Emilia’s new furniture would arrive in a few days. “I’m going to put it up anyway. And close her bedroom door. I want it to stay, I don’t want to forget about it,” she said.

A memorial service for Emilia is planned for today.