Little Alesha was murdered, police confirm

The death of six-year-old Alesha MacPhail is now being treated as murder, Police Scotland have confirmed this afternoon.

Alesha’s body was found by a member of the public in woodland on the Isle of Bute on Monday.

The shocking tragedy is now a murder inquiry following a post-mortem examination, although police have yet to say how the youngster died.

Alesha, from Airdrie, had been staying at her grandmother’s house but was reported missing at about 6.25am on Monday.

The little girl was just a few days into a three-week summer break visiting relatives.

On Monday morning at 6.25am, her grandmother Angela King posted appeal for help on Facebook saying Alesha was missing from the house

At 9am that morning, Alesha’s body was found by a member of the public in woodland about half a mile from where she was staying.