Reports in some sections of the media, and recent claims by Kim O'Donovan herself, that she was a drug addict were firmly dismissed by people who knew her yesterday.
A woman who had been close to Kim contacted The Irish Times yesterday, saying she wished to put the record straight for the family's sake.
The woman, who did not wish to be named, painted a picture of a talented, intelligent and artistic girl who developed severe behavioural problems in adolescence.
"She was a little princess when she was nine years old", the woman said.
She said some of Kim's adolescent behaviour involved adopting a "hard" persona, pretending she took drugs and was involved in prostitution.
Despite her claims that she took drugs regularly, there was nothing in her system whenever she was examined before Wednesday's incident.
Other sources familiar with Kim's history also maintained that, until the time she disappeared, she had not been a drug addict.
Kim did not spend her life in care. After her birth, she was put into institutional care until she was 18 months old. Then she was adopted by Mr Ronnie and Mrs Maura O'Donovan.
According to a statement issued by Mr and Mrs O'Donovan yesterday, Kim grew up in a normal, loving, caring family environment.
"Her parents adored her," said another source who knew Kim. "And she adored them, too. She wanted to leave Newtown House and return to her foster parents so that she could return to a mainstream school and eventually get back to her family."
During her childhood, Kim showed great musical and artistic talent and was encouraged by her family to pursue these interests.
"She loved music. When she played the piano, she could make your heart cry. She had an extraordinary talent," the source said.
It is understood Kim's problems started when she neared adolescence.
"When Kim was 11, she could have passed for 18 and she wanted to do what other 18-year-olds could do."
She became difficult to manage, and her family sought help. This culminated in her being committed to the care of what was then known as the Eastern Health Board.
She was put into short-term foster accommodation, and a pattern of rebellion and running away began.
"She met people who were out of her league," a friend said.
"Kim often looked in the mirror and said `Who am I?' She even dyed her hair blonde once, in an attempt to look like everyone else."
She was later placed in other temporary accommodation and eventually went to Newtown House, a Wicklow residential-care facility run by the South Western Area Health Board.
On July 28th Newtown staff went to collect Kim from her work experience and found she was not there. The health authorities sought her return to Newtown House, but before her case came up in the High Court she wrote to Mr Justice Kelly telling him she was no longer a danger to herself or others and she no longer wished to stay at Newtown House.
Judge Kelly ordered her return to the care centre, but her family, health board officials and gardai searched for her to no avail.
A friend of Kim's said yesterday that neither Newtown House nor the social workers had failed Kim.
"No individual failed her. No one wanted to see her this way. It's just the system that failed her."
Her friend said there was a clear gap in the system for children like Kim who needed help but did not want to be institutionalised.
A spokeswoman for the three Dublin health boards said they had been developing specialised services for teenagers in recent years.
She said the three boards were trying to expand this range of services and were now developing multidisciplinary teams for teenagers based in local communities.
Despite the tragic circumstances of her death, people who knew Kim said she would be remembered as an elegant and eloquent girl.
"She was attractive, she was extremely talented, she was very sociable and articulate," said a woman who knew her. "Behind all the behaviour, she was a dote."
Her parents said they would remember her as their "treasure". "She was loved by us, by her family and by her extended family and friends," they said.