Tweed Heads school devastated by missing girl’s death friends give tribute to ‘sweet, kind and caring’ girl

A friend of the Tweed schoolgirl who went missing in the NSW Blue Mountains and was found dead in a barrel has given a heartbreaking tribute to her classmate.

Classmate London McGrath and mother Kelly Scoble drop off a floral tribute at Tweed school for a murdered schoolgirl . Picture: Glenn Hampson

A friend of a Tweed schoolgirl who was found dead, her body in a barrel, described the nine-year-old as “sweet, kind and caring”.

A man has been charged with murder after the girl – who attended a Tweed region school –disappeared while holidaying in the NSW Blue Mountains.

Her remains were found after she missing from Mount Wilson on Friday, sparking a five-day search and an investigation which was taken over by the Homicide Squad.

London McGrath, nine, placed flowers for her friend at the gates of a their school, adding to a growing pile of tributes for the girl.

“She was a sweet, kind and caring friend,” London said.

“She just joined in anytime we played a game at school.”

Classmate London McGrath and mother Kelly Scoble drop off a floral tribute at a Tweed school for a murdered schoolgirl. Picture: Glenn Hampson

London said her favourite memory of her friend was at a recent awards presentation day.

“We got awards together and were standing up together,” the young girl said.

London’s mum Kelly Scoble said the news had devastated the entire community.

“London kept saying ‘mum, can we go to Sydney and look for her’,” Ms Scoble said.

“How do you tell a child that something so terrible has happened when we try to keep our children protected from these things.

“I think it’s going to be a very challenging start to the school year.”

London McGrath drops off a floral tribute at a Tweed school for the murdered schoolgirl. Picture: Glenn Hampson

The biological father of the young girl has also broken his silence about his heartbreak at losing his “beautiful little girl.”

A candlelit vigil will be held at the schoolgates at 7pm Wednesday night.

The school issued a Facebook statement after the man’s charge was announced by NSW Police.

“We are absolutely devastated to hear this morning’s news,” the statement read.

“Our hearts go out to her family, we cannot begin to imagine the distress they must feel.

“(The missing student) was a much-loved member of our school who brightened all our days, every day.

“Today we will be in touch with the Department of Education to explore options to support our students and staff when school resumes.”

Tributes at a Tweed school for a murdered schoolgirl. Picture: Glenn Hampson

The girl’s identity cannot be published as NSW law prevents media from identifying underage victims of alleged crimes without consent from their next of kin.

The nine-year-old from Coolangatta, who lives with her grandmother, was on holiday in the Blue Mountains visiting her mother when she vanished from a property near Mount Wilson.

Homicide squad detectives, the State Emergency Service, the Rural Fire Service and other volunteers have been scouring the dense bushland to search for the girl since Friday.

The nine-year-old girl vanished from her home in dense bushland at Mt Wilson on Thursday. Police and RFS are searching bushland near where she went missing. Picture: David Swift

Originally published as Tweed Heads school devastated by missing girl’s death friends give tribute to ‘sweet, kind and caring’ girl