PICTOU, N.S. – After RCMP confirmed that the remains found on a property in Pictou County were those of missing Nova Scotia teenager Amber Kirwan, the family released a statement Sunday afternoon.

"It is with overwhelming sadness and grief that our worst fears were realized yesterday. Our beloved Amber will not be coming home to us. Words cannot express the sorrow and sense of loss we feel.

Amber was an amazing daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin, girlfriend and friend.

We cannot imagine life without her. She was so young and it breaks our hearts to think of all of the good things in life she will not get to experience.

Her time with us was so special. To have it taken away so needlessly is something we will never get over. She was our special girl and we would do anything to bring her back.

We would like to thank the people of New Glasgow, Pictou County and beyond, who have supported us during this tragedy. We would also like to thank the police services, search and rescue groups, businesses and so many others who worked so diligently to locate Amber."

Investigators located the 19-year-old's remains Saturday afternoon while they were executing a search warrant on a farm property in the area, in relation to her disappearance. The remains were found in a wooded area on the property.

Police and forensic identification specialists attended the scene to assist in the removal of the remains and a police barricade is up, blocking access to Heathbell Road.

Police have not released a cause of death, but they do say her death is being investigated as a homicide.

Lisa Williams lives on the farm property.

"It's very heartbreaking to know that she was in our backyard, in our woods, that she's very close to home. And that we didn't find her, we didn't bring her home," she said.

Kirwan disappeared over Thanksgiving. She was last seen leaving Dooly's pool hall in New Glasgow around 1:30 a.m. on October 9.

She was supposed to meet her boyfriend at Big Al's, a nearby convenience store, but Mason Campbell says she never showed up.

Campbell's car was seized, but it has since been returned and no charges have been laid.

The family has asked for privacy and directed all inquiries to the RCMP.