Teen learned of family slaying on Facebook

A friend of the 15-year-old posted a message on Brenda's page while she was on a one-week school trip to New Caledonia, informing her of her family's tragic fate.

The teenager's parents, Min and Yun Li "Lilly" Lin, younger brothers, Henry, 12, and Terry, 9, and aunt, Yun Bin "Irene" Yin, were bludgeoned to death while sleeping in their beds at the family's North Epping home on July 18.

Brenda had been due to arrive home on July 20 but after the news the group returned a day earlier.

"She got this news from Facebook from her friend," said Brenda's uncle, Lian Bin "Robert" Xie.

His wife, Kathy Lin, sister of deceased Mr Lin, said Brenda was helping them plan the public funeral and memorial service on Saturday.

"Of course, there will be times when she sees photos of her family on TV and in the paper and she'll be sad," Ms Lin said. "But we say to Brenda, 'Look at all the support and care we get from the general public. We need to be strong and also your grandparents are of old age and we need to be strong for them."'

The Cheltenham Girls High School year 10 student spent her last weeks with her family discussing which subjects to pick for the HSC.

She is talented in science and maths  a gift inherited from her engineer father and her mother, who had studied biology.

The teen has spent the past week making almost daily visits to the World Tower offices of her lawyer and temporary legal guardian, Daniel Sheen, who took on the case pro bono.

She wears jeans, and a cap to shield her face, but appears composed and holds her head high.

Despite having their DNA samples taken, Mr Xie said none of the surviving relatives were made to feel like criminals by police.

"I think this is standard procedure from police," he said. "We want to help the police, so it's all right for us.

"As the police said, this event is very personal. We believe the police that we are not in danger. It's all right for us and we are not frightened, actually."

One of their most difficult tasks was breaking the news to their own seven-year-old son, whose name they do not want to disclose. "Kathy slept by his side [the first night] and he woke up crying," Mr Xie said. "He has cried numerous times. He misses Henry and Terry."

The Lins' relatives are not certain when they will reopen the newsagency, although they hope it will be this week. They are still waiting to get the business's keys, computer and cash register back from police.

Mr Lin's father plans to continue working there, having helped out since his deceased son bought the business in 2001.

Kathy Lin described her brother and his wife's marriage as happy.

"They were a very lovely couple and every time they went out, wherever they went, my brother and sister-in-law always held hands," she said.

She said her family planned to return to their home soon.

"We still really like Epping," she said. "The people are really friendly."

Donations to Brenda can be made via deposits to the Commonwealth Bank, account name Y. Lin and F. Zhu, BSB 062 006, account number 11139323.