Police have released the two people they arrested in connection with the slaying of a 12-year-old Nova Scotia girl, but say they continue to be suspects.
Police said Friday they have finished questioning the two suspects about the death of Karissa Boudreau, whose body was found Saturday near the LaHave River on the outskirts of Bridgewater. The suspects have been allowed to return to their homes.
The announcement was made in the small town 100 kilometres south of Halifax, where police told reporters the suspects had been held for 24 hours and had to be let go.
Police have not revealed anything about the identities of the suspects.
In an interview earlier Friday, RCMP Sgt. Mark Gallagher said three people were initially brought into custody Thursday night for questioning, but one was released soon after.
The other two were formally arrested and held in jail until their release late Friday morning.
He said RCMP have called in a criminal profiler from Ottawa, who examined the scene and evidence and told police they are heading in the right direction with their investigation.
"We're certainly building a very strong case and will continue to work at this," he said.
Gallagher said investigators have received a number of tips from the public since announcing the homicide investigation Thursday afternoon and are still encouraging anyone with information to come forward.
Police had been looking for Karissa for about two weeks.
Penny Boudreau said she and her daughter fought in a grocery store parking lot on Jan. 27, and when she returned to her car after finishing her shopping, the girl was gone.
On Thursday, police confirmed the body found Saturday within walking distance of the Boudreau home was Karissa. They will not say how or when she died, but confirmed the death is being investigated as a homicide.
Counselling at school
Students at Bridgewater Elementary School, where Karissa was a Grade 6 student, have been struggling to understand the girl's death, said Trudy Johnson, who is co-ordinating the counselling efforts at the school.
Psychologists have been called in to work with the students and their parents.
Johnson said it might be difficult for some students to realize that the suspects in the case knew Karissa.
"The difficulty for children is trying to explain to them that the people who love and care about them are still going to be there to support them, and reassure them that their schools and families are safe places for them," said Johnson, director of programs and student services at the South Shore Regional School Board.
