An NHS staff member is being investigated after claims medical records of a nine-year-old schoolgirl who was allegedly murdered were accessed “without permission or clinical need”.

Minnie Merriman died at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee after she was seriously injured at Elliot Industrial Estate in Arbroath. The tragic incident happened on Monday after the girl and her family, from West Yorkshire, were camping in the area.

A 35-year-old man, who police said was known to the girl, has appeared in court charged with her murder.

Christopher Rice from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, made no plea during an appearance in private at Forfar Sheriff Court and was remanded in custody.

Now NHS Tayside has confirmed an investigation is ongoing after Minnie’s health records were allegedly accessed without permission or clinical need, reports the Courier. No other details of the alleged data breach have been released by the health board but the issue could be reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office if serious enough.

A spokesperson for NHS Tayside said: “NHS Tayside is currently investigating the circumstances of an alleged data breach which happened in a working clinical area where staff access patient information. As a matter of governance, any data protection breach would be recorded and investigated by NHS Tayside and, where appropriate, reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). It would not be appropriate for us to comment further on individual staffing matters.”

Minnie’s family have paid tribute to her in a statement released through Police Scotland. They said: “We are devastated with the loss of our beloved, absolutely incredible, beautiful and brave Minnie Moo. Our family asks that our privacy is respected at this extremely difficult time.”