Nine-year-old Hilde Kate Lysiak says she has been ‘trolled’ with negative messages after exclusively breaking a murder story near her home.

Hilde, who posted the story to her own news site Orange Street News, was the first on the scene and interviewed police and nearby neighbours at the site of a local murder.

The murder was eventually picked up by larger news outlets, but Hilde made it clear on her site that OSN had the exclusive, posting a video from the scene telling viewers “I’m working hard on this ongoing investigation”.

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But since the exclusive, Hilde has posted a YouTube video detailing the negative responses she’s had about the story.

From inside a café, Hilde read the messages with a wry smile on her face.

“I usually enjoy your stories Hilde but this … Perhaps you are too young to understand the difference between decency/respect and sensationalism,” Sally Grouse wrote.

“Sensationalist trash,” was another message from former Selinsgrove Mayor Sean Christine.

“I am disgusted that this cute little girl thinks she is a real journalist,” wrote another.

Despite the criticism, Hilde finished the video with a staunch defence of her journalistic practises.

“Yesterday there was a murder. It happened just a few blocks from my house. I got the tip from a good source that I was able to confirm,” she said.

“Then I went straight to the scene and asked neighbours for more information. Because of my work, I was able to inform the people that there was a terrible murder hours before my competition even got to the scene.

“In fact, some of these adult-run newspapers were reporting the wrong news or no news at all. All the while the Orange Street News was out covering the event.

“There, is that cute enough for you?”

Hilde’s Dad was a reporter for the New York Daily News before the family moved to the small town of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, and Hilde decided she wanted to follow in her footsteps.

Her dad prints the paper, while she does all of the reporting, writing and photography.

Watch Hilde’s response to critics below: