The parents of Alice Gross, the 14-year-old schoolgirl whose body was recovered in a river in west London on Tuesday, have spoken of their devastation following the death of their daughter.
Alice went missing just over a month ago.
A major search operation, the Metropolitan Police’s largest since the 2005 London bombings, was carried out before her body was recovered from the River Brent.
Alice's parents, Rosalind Hodgkiss and Jose Gross, said in a statement: "We have been left completely devastated by the recent developments and it is difficult to comprehend that our sweet and beautiful daughter was the victim of a terrible crime.
"Why anyone would want to hurt her is something that we are struggling to come to terms with.
"Alice was a loving and much-loved daughter and sister, a quirky live spark of a girl, beautiful inside and out.
"We still don't know who is responsible for this crime and we ask that people continue to help the police by giving them information that could help bring the perpetrator to justice."
The couple gave their thanks to those who have supported the efforts to find Alice and warned against using her death for political purposes, adding that it was "a time for grieving and not a time for anger or recriminations".
A post-mortem examination on Alice’s body is expected to resume today.
Alice was last seen on CCTV walking along the towpath next to the Grand Union Canal as it passes under Trumpers Way at 4.26pm on 28 August, but has not been seen since.
Convicted murderer Arnis Zalkalns, who was filmed cycling the same route behind the teenager, emerged as the prime suspect in her disappearance.
Police are urgently working with the authorities in his native Latvia to track down the labourer, who was reported missing within days of Alice's disappearance.
Police have come under fire for delays in identifying Mr Zalkalns as a risk. Commander Graham McNulty admitted that British detectives would have no power to arrest him if he has fled abroad.
Mr Zalkalns is thought to have gone to the UK in 2007, but authorities have been criticised for apparently holding no record of his conviction for the murder of his wife Rudite in Latvia.
