Boy in court after Vic woman's murder

Prosecutors have failed in a bid to send a boy to the Supreme Court for his alleged involvement in the fatal stabbing of Melbourne teenager Laa Chol.

The 16-year-old, who cannot be named due to his age, would have been subject to potentially harsher sentencing in the higher court, but will instead be dealt with by a magistrate.

The boy is charged with being an accessory to murder after the fact, and also accused of assaulting Ms Chol, 19, as she was stabbed, allegedly by his 17-year-old friend.

The 17-year-old Sunshine North boy charged with murder has automatically had his case sent to the higher court.

But on Thursday, a children's court magistrate determined the 16-year-old's case would not be sent to a higher jurisdiction.

It is alleged the 17-year-old stabbed Ms Chol before giving the murder weapon to the 16-year-old in the lift of the building.

The boy allegedly took the knife from the A'Beckett Street short-stay apartment complex and disposed of it.

The alleged murder weapon has not been found.

The boy's lawyers argued it was unknown whether Ms Chol had died - and the act of murder complete - before the younger boy allegedly took the knife, meaning the charge of accessory after the fact was in dispute.

But prosecutors argued the younger boy's offending was "inextricably linked" to the alleged principal offender.

They also said the children's court had insufficient capacity to penalise, meaning the case should be sent to the higher court.

The magistrate said based on the evidence, the younger boy at least knew Ms Chol was bleeding before he took the knife, but she wouldn't make a determination on the strength of the accessory charge.

She said she did not consider the sentencing available to the children's court was inadequate in this case.

The boy also faces a charge of possessing methamphetamine.

Ms Chol died on July 21 this year after she was allegedly punched, kicked and stabbed as her mobile phone was stolen.

A four-year prison term is the maximum sentence that can be imposed by a magistrate, while a Supreme Court judge can sentence imprisonment for up to 20 years.

The boy will return to the children's court on November 22 for a mention hearing.