The heartbroken family of Nora Quoirin has paid tribute to their 'precious girl' after the teenager's body was found in Malaysia.
The 15-year-old went missing on the morning of August 4 while on holiday with her family.
They had only spent one night at an eco-resort in Dunsan on the edge of the rainforest south of the capital Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia when Nora dissapeared.
A body found beside a small stream, 2.5km from the jungle resort was, confirmed to be the schoolgirl on Tuesday.
Speaking for the first time, Nora's devastated loved ones said their 'hearts are broken' and described the 'cruelty of her being taken away as 'unbearable'.
In an emotional statemen, the Quoirins said: "Nora is at the heart of our family. She is the truest, most precious girl and we love her infinitely.
"The cruelty of her being taken away is unbearable. Our hearts are broken.
"We will always love our Nora."
They also added that their daughter had "truly touched the world".
The family thanked those involved in the search.
More than 300 search and rescue staff desperately tried to find the teenage, who was born with the brain defect holoprosencephaly that meant she struggled with everyday tasks.
The family statement added: "We would like to thank all the people that have been searching for Nora and trying their best to find her.
"We thank the local people here and those far and wide for their prayers and support at this time.
"Nora has brought people together, especially from France, Ireland, Britain and Malaysia, united in their love and support for her and her family.
"To all our friends and family at home, we can't thank you enough for all your love."
A post-mortem is due to take place on Wednesday to determine the cause of Nora's death.
Deputy police chief Mazlan Mansor told reporters at a press conference that the case still remained on of a missing persons but did not rule out possibilities of a 'criminal investigation'.
