Court remands girl, 15, charged with murder of seven-year-old Katie Rough to secure accommodation
A teenager has been remanded into secure accommodation in England after being charged with the murder of seven-year-old Katie Rough.
The 15-year-old defendant appeared before magistrates in York over the death on Wednesday morning.
The girl, who was flanked by two security guards and a youth offending team manager, stood in the centre of the glass fronted dock and said nothing in the eight-minute hearing.
She stared straight forward as her solicitor answered questions about her name and address.
The girl, who was wearing an oversized grey sweatshirt and had long brown hair, will appear before Leeds Crown Court on Friday.
The victim, who was described as a "kind and thoughtful child", was found on a track in the Woodthorpe area of York on Monday after police were called to a nearby address.
The defendant has also been charged with possession of an offensive weapon - a knife.
The court heard that Katie suffered severe cuts to her neck and chest during the incident.
Witnesses at the time said Katie's mother, named locally as Alison Rough, fell to her knees in the street, crying and pleading for help after her daughter was injured.
Tracey Ralph, headteacher at Westfield Primary School where Katie was a pupil, paid tribute to the "kind and thoughtful child" who was well-liked by both pupils and staff.
Ms Ralph said: "She was hard-working and showed a particular talent for creative writing.
"Her death is a terrible loss which has deeply saddened our school community and we send our profound sympathies to her family."
