HANOVER, Jamaica – Nordia Edwards, the mother of nine-year-old Nikita Noel who was raped and strangled in Hanover, found it hard to put into words her emotions as she grieved the loss of her only daughter.

Edwards told OBSERVER ONLINE that her daughter was a jovial child who did not give trouble.

“It’s dreadful. It hurt. She was very jovial, not a person who give trouble. When mi sen har gah school, she guh school and she come straight home - she nuh stop a people place nor nutten. And dis one, it hurt cause it jus close to home. Mi weak. Mi weak,” Edwards said.

It is reported that Noel, who was enrolled at Esher Primary, did not return home from school on Wednesday afternoon. Her body was later found metres away from her home. It is believed that Noel was raped and strangled.

Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Area One, Clifford Chambers, has revealed that the suspect held in relation to the rape and murder of nine-year-old Nikita Noel in Hanover is known to the family.

"The mother had a relationship with the male and that relationship went sour. Not that it is clearly directed to this as yet, but there is a strong probability that the two are related," Chambers told OBSERVER ONLINE.

READ: UPDATE: Suspect in rape, murder of 9-y-o Hanover girl known to family – Police