A 9-year-old Vietnamese girl living in Japan was reportedly been murdered on her way to school.

On Sunday, the body of Le Thi Nhat Linh, was found near a drainage ditch, 10 kilometres from her home in Chiba prefecture.

Police believe she was murdered some time between Friday morning and Saturday night.

Linh left her house for her nearby elementary school on Friday morning but never arrived.

Police believe she was snatched soon after she left home in Matsudo.

According to Japan’s Kyodo news agency, Linh had reportedly told her classmate last month about seeing a suspicious person on her way to school.

Linh lived with her parents and a younger brother.

The Vietnamese Embassy said it will help bring the girl’s body to Vietnam.

– TiVi Tuan-san