An 11-year-old boy is suspected of being involved in the murder of a ten-year-old girl inside a child and adolescent protection center in southern Germany , police said Friday.

On Tuesday, the body of the little girl was found inside her room in this institution located in the small town of Vunsiedel in Bavaria.

In a joint statement, local prosecutors and police said that evidence collected from the crime scene "indicates the involvement of an 11-year-old boy" residing in the same centre.

"Since the boy is below the age of criminal responsibility, he has been placed in a secure center as a precautionary measure," the statement added.

Public prosecutors and the police refused to give more details about the case, saying only that the boy had not yet been investigated and that they were coordinating their investigations with the local youth authorities.

Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Hermann praised the investigators for being able to identify the suspect "within a relatively short period of time," adding that "the important step now is to clarify the circumstances behind this tragedy."

The Children and Youth Welfare Center, which includes about 90 children and adolescents, expressed "great shock" at the girl's death.

On its website, the center states that it aims to support "youth who need help with education and their families".