Aiia Maasarwe’s father breaks down as he recalls moment he found out she’d died

The father of tragic murdered student Aiia Maasarwe has broken down in an emotional TV appearance as he recalled the moment he found out the 21-year-old had died.

Appearing on Channel 10’s The Project, Saeed Maasarwe also revealed he stands by his decision to support his daughter’s move to Melbourne from Shanghai to study at La Trobe University, revealing it’s a parent’s job to support their children’s dreams.

Aiia was allegedly raped and murdered last week in the north Melbourne suburb of Bundoora after getting off a tram. She had phoned her sister as she walked from the station to her accommodation, and is believed to have been on the phone at the time she was attacked.

Speaking to Jamila Rizvi on the show, Saeed wiped away tears as he described the incredible legacy his daughter will leave behind her now.

“She was like (an) angel, even when she was born,” he said. “The first day, from the beginning everything special, really, the smile, the face. Very smart when she’s very, very young.”

Last week, 21-year-old visiting student Aiia Masarwa was murdered on her way home. Much has been said about her death, so before they left the country, Aiia’s father Saaed and her cousin Sharef agreed to speak to @JamilaRizvi about her life and legacy. #TheProjectTV pic.twitter.com/ev6gle422f

— The Project (@theprojecttv) January 22, 2019

Recalling the moment he was told she had died, he added: “I pray it is not true, I pray it is dream, I pray it’s not Aiia.”

Meanwhile, Aiia’s cousin Sharef shared his own memories of the student, and said: “Her smile makes you smile… Her laugh makes you laugh. She was so positive all of the time.”

Aiia had been studying Chinese and English at Shanghai University before moving to Melbourne six months ago on an exchange program. Saeed recalled his daughter describing Australia as a safe country at the time, and said he stands by his decision to support her.

“This is our job (as) the parents,” he said. “We need to give to our child the best as we can. To give them more opportunity… This is the way we need to make (the) world more beautiful and more nice and have (a) more colourful future.”

Leaving viewers in tears, Saeed sent a powerful message to others by insisting he hopes lessons can be learned from the tragedy to make the world a more beautiful place and concluded: “I wish my daughter Aiia to be with her family again… We wish for her to be in the paradise and for everything to be good for her in another way, another place she is now. This is just what we can do.”

Aiia’s body was discovered outside a shopping centre by passers-by on their morning commute.

Read more: ‘My worst dream’: Father of Aiia Maasarwe shares heartbreaking message

“She was actually talking to her sister, we’re pretty certain she was involved in a conversation with her sister, who is overseas, at the time of the attack,” Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper confirmed in a press conference on Thursday.

“The phone then appeared to fall to the ground and she couldn’t contact her. We think that’s the time. She heard the sound of the phone falling to the ground and heard some voices and that was it.”

A 20-year-old man has been arrested over the brutal murder. Victoria Police confirmed the man was arrested in the north-east suburb of Greensborough at around 11.20am on Friday, with the assistance of homicide detectives.

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