Girl murdered after internet meeting

Police say Long used the internet to set up liaisons

Police in the US state of Connecticut have arrested a 25-year-old man who reportedly confessed to murdering a 13-year-old girl he met through the internet.

No parents would allow a stranger into their house to engage their child in conversation, but if you're not aware of what your child is doing on the internet, that's exactly what's happening

John Danaher, US Attorney in New Haven, Connecticut

Christina Long's body was found in a remote ravine near the state border with New York State, the Press Association news agency reported.

She had apparently been strangled.

Police officials said Saul Dos Reis, a Brazilian-born man, confessed the killing to police and directed them to her body.

He currently faces one charge of using the internet to entice a child into sexual activity and is being held without bail, the American ABC News channel reported.

Long was last seen alive in a mall in her home town of Danbury after her aunt dropped her off there.

Double life

Police investigations suggest that Long led a double life.

In her public life, Long, described as a "sweet girl" by the head of her school, was captain of the cheerleading team and an altar girl at her local church, reports say.

However police said they found evidence that indicated she regularly used internet chatrooms, assuming a variety of provocative user names to set up meetings with various men.

Investigators said that Long had exchanged several "graphic" messages with Mr Dos Reis before arranging to meet him.

Danger

Police have stressed the danger of allowing unsupervised internet use for minors.

"No parents would allow a stranger into their house to engage their child in conversation," said John Danaher, the US Attorney in New Haven, Connecticut.

"But if you're not aware of what your child is doing on the internet, that's exactly what's happening."

Police officials said that they had identified several other men who had liaisons with Long, and indicated that further charges may be filed.