9-year-old reporter who broke murder story blasts critics

An aspiring reporter who recently broke the news of a murder in her small Pennsylvania town is facing backlash for her work.

But the nine-year-old journalist isn’t letting it get to her.

Hilde Lysiak runs a monthly paper and website called Orange Street News in her hometown of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.

On Saturday, she posted an in-depth story on a possible murder on Ninth Street, and even included a short video reporting from the scene.

“I’m working hard on this ongoing investigation,” the nine-year-old told viewers.

Lysiak spoke with neighbours, police and other sources for the piece.

She even beat out the competition in breaking the story.

But according to the budding reporter, adults have been quick to fire back about what the nine-year-old should be doing in her spare time.

“I’m disgusted that a cute little girl thinks she is a real journalist. What happened to tea parties?” Lysiak reads in a YouTube video about the comments.

Another commenter suggested Lysiak should be playing with dolls instead.

But like any journalist who gets negative feedback, she isn’t going to let it get in the way of work.

“If you want me to stop covering news, then you get off your computer and do something about it. There, is that cute enough for you?” she said in her YouTube response.

In the wake of the criticism, people from around the world have offered words of support on the Orange Street News Facebook page.