It has been revealed that 12-year-old, Michaela Davis, knew the 18-year-old who has been charged with her murder.

Michaela spent time with Jonathan Byrne and even visited his home. Byrne worked in a shop and knew the young girl who only started secondary school last week. The pair lived just 15-minutes away from each other and spent time in each other's home.

Yesterday Michael's family brought her body home where it will stay until the funeral on Thursday. They said that they are living every parent's "worst fear".

Her family issued a statement which told of the "needless loss" the family had experienced. How Michaela was "full of life" and how close a she was to her parents Deirdre and Brendan and her brother Brendan. The statement read "They were always there for one another."

“This situation is not and never will be about the crime or the perpetrator – it’s about Michaela and the realisation of a parent’s worst fear to lose a child so full of life.

“Michaela had started her first day of secondary school on Thursday last. She was given her first homework which was due to be handed in tomorrow, never to be answered.”

A relative of Michaela's father issued the statement on the families behalf.

It continued "All Michaela’s friends are heartbroken at the moment and cannot get their heads around this tragedy, no more than the rest of the extended family and friends.

“This is a heart-wrenching situation,” it said, “the needless loss of a young child, the awful tragedy of a girl barely beginning life.”

Michaela had attended St Mochta's National School, in Porterstown. Principal Terry Allen released a statement extending her deepest sympathy to the family.

It read "Michaela Davis was a pupil in sixth class in our school. She had just completed her primary education and had only last week just started her secondary education in her new school,” principal Terry Allen said in a statement.

"She was a lovely child who had so much to give and to live for. The thoughts and prayers of our whole school community at this very sad and upsetting time are with Michaela’s family, to whom we extend our deepest sympathy on their tragic loss.”