June began with bloodshed and tears as the body of teenager Rhiana Moore was found floating in the mangroves of Blue Hole Hill Nature Reserve.

The 14-year-old CedarBridge student's lifeless body was found on June 1 by a member of the public walking in the area and later by two tourists kayaking.

Ze Menefeskiduse Selassie, 32, of St. David's, has been charged with her premeditated murder and is currently in custody awaiting trial.

It is understood, the teen was last seen around 8 p.m. on Friday, May 30, after attending a church-related youth meeting in Hamilton Parish.

Tributes poured in for the girl who was the first baby born in Bermuda on Christmas Day of 1993.

She was born weighing 5 lbs, 13 oz and was the first child of Julieann Wainwright and Rhohan Moore. She has a younger sister aged ten.

The well-liked youngster, who attended bible studies regularly, was described as a "gem" by her high school principal Kalmar Richards in a statement from the Ministry of Education.

"This is a very difficult time, but we are coping," she said.

"We are a family here at CedarBridge Academy and when a family loses a member of the family, it is a very painful experience. We have lost a 'gem' and a young woman who had the potential to do great things for our country."

Randy Horton, Education Minister at the time, said: "I am deeply saddened and my heart goes out to the her family, her friends, the principal, teachers, staff and students of the CedarBridge Academy.

"When something like this happens, we all feel it. I have received reaction to this from every corner of the Ministry and from those in our community who feel the hurt when we in the schools are hurting.

"I believe these extensions of condolence are reflections of a realisation that this could have been any school, any one of our institutes of learning, public or private."

The girl's father, Rhohan Moore described his daughter as having an "independent spirit".

Mr. Moore, who has remarried and has a five-year-old daughter Angel in Barbados, said he and Rhiana's mother Julieann had always tried to cultivate the independent spirit that the honour student showed from a young age.

"She always had that independent streak. We tried to instill that as much as we could. She grew-up really fast. I remember even young she had this charisma.

"Even that young she was someone who impacted others and showed the sense of a powerful leader.

"Her favourite subject was Maths. While her sister likes English, she liked figures."

He said the people in Bermuda had helped him cope with the tragedy.

"It's really, really touching. I feel it's a home away from home. Even though it was my daughter, I don't feel alone in this. It's really comforting."