The mother of a nine-year-old, alleged murder victim has paid tribute to her daughter, saying: “We had four corners and now one is gone”.

In a statement issued through Lincolnshire Police, Lina, the mother of schoolgirl Lilia Valutyte, announced plans to create a statue of her daughter as a “way for her to still be there”.

Lilia, a former pupil of Boston Pioneers Academy and Carlton Road Academy, was confirmed dead at Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital following an incident in the market town in July.

Deividas Skebas was remanded into custody at Lincoln Crown Court on August 1 charged with her murder.

Lilia’s stepfather, Aurelijus, also paid tribute to her on Friday, saying: “She was cheeky; quiet in one way and then other ways she wasn’t.

“She always tried to make fun.”

Continuing the family’s tribute, Lina said: “It’s hard to know what to say.

“She was just a normal child, one day she’s happy and another she isn’t, one day she wants to eat pancakes and another she doesn’t – the usual things.

“She loved to dance, travel and try new things, and annoy her sister.

“She wanted to go to Italy, so we will probably go anyway next year.”

Lina added: “There are so many things we could say, but we are not going to talk a lot about who she was and share those stories from our home; they are ours and we want to keep them for us.

“You find yourself looking for her everywhere.

“We had four corners and now one is gone.”

An inquest opening at Lincoln Coroner’s Court on August 4 heard Lilia’s provisional cause of death was a stab wound to the chest.

The coroner adjourned the inquest until the conclusion of criminal proceedings.

Skebas, of Thorold Street, Boston, is next due to appear at Lincoln Crown Court for a plea hearing on September 19.

The 22-year-old is yet to enter a plea to a charge of murder.

Lilia was found with a stab wound in Fountain Lane, Boston, at about 6.20pm on July 28.

Announcing plans for a memorial to be installed in the town, close to the street where Lilia died, Lina said: “Lilia was grown in that street, every week she spent down there playing, and it happened next to the window.

“The memorial is a way for her to still be there, and we’re now fundraising to get it.”

Police said the statue will either take the form of an angel with Lilia’s face, or it will take her full likeness.

The force said anyone wishing to donate should go through a Just Giving site set up by a family friend.