KEY POINTS:
A 14-year-old has been charged with the murder of teenager Liberty Templeman.
He has been charged with murder and one charge of indecent assault.
He appeared briefly in Kaikohe Youth Court this afternoon before reporters were alerted to his arrest.
Police aren't revealing how the 15-year-old died but have advised her family of the arrest.
The alleged killer was known to Ms Templeman but was not her boyfriend.
There was a heavy police presence at Kerikeri High School today.
Police are now speaking to both families. They say Ms Templeman's family are relieved an arrest has been made and are focusing on her funeral tomorrow.
Far North Area Commander Inspector Chris Scahill thanked the Kerikeri community for their support in finding the suspect.
"I would like to thank the people of Kerikeri who assisted police with their inquiries and I acknowledge the support they have given police during what has been a difficult case to work on.
"This has been a tragic case and it will have a major impact on all those involved."
The teenager was remanded into the custody of Child Youth and Family until his next court appearance, Northland police spokeswoman Sarah Kennett said.
Ms Templeman was found murdered last weekend and will be farewelled tomorrow in one of the largest funerals the Far North town of Kerikeri has seen.
Arrangements for the funeral of the daughter her parents called "Little Legs" in an emotional death notice, were being finalised today.
Earlier police searched a house about four kilometres from where her body was found in the Wairoa Stream in Kerikeri last Sunday.
She had been reported missing 24 hours earlier after failing to keep an appointment with a friend.
Police said they were also looking for Liberty's missing five or six-year-old Nokia cellphone with a cracked screen, which has been missing since her death.
Police said while they had a lot of data from the missing telephone, they would not say if it had been used in the last week.
Far North police area commander, Inspector Chris Scahill, said police had checked the cellular phone company records but would not say what they had recovered
"I am not going to go into any detail."
He would not say if it had been used, possibly by the killer, since Liberty's body was found.
Police have searched several houses near Kerikeri in the last day or two but Mr Scahill would not say what prompted the search or if they had found any clues.
