Natalie McNally should have been spoken about much more by political leaders here, according to one of her childhood best friends.
Ellen Toner has written to the leaders of political parties here, urging them to use their platform to try and bring her killer to justice.
She asked why there had been such an outpouring from political figures here after other prominent murders recently, but mnot for Natalie.
"At the time of poor Ashling Murphy's untimely murder, you all attended a vigil on her behalf," Ellen wrote.
"I ask you where is that for Natalie and her unborn son?".
Natalie McNally was found dead in her Silverwood Green home in Lurgan on 19 December, where it is believed she was stabbed the day before.
She was 15 weeks pregnant at the time of her death.
Ellen spoke to Belfast Live and fondly recalled a youth spent with Natalie in Craigavon.
"Natalie moved into my street when I was about eight, I'm a year younger, so I'm 31," she said.
"So I went up and knocked her door and her mummy answered and I said 'is your wee girl in?' and we just hit it off completely.
"There was a wee group of us and we would have all run amok in the McNally house our whole childhood and teenage years.
"Their house was our house, we were always welcome."
She said that as happens, they moved on with different paths in their lives but that she would have still seen Natalie now and then.
"Now, life goes on and people drift apart but I would have always seen Natalie out and about and I never forgot how beautiful a person she was and will never forget," she added.
"I was always very impressed by her outspokenness, her activism, she was always there for the causes she believed in.
"Since I found out what happened to her, I just can't get it out of my head."
Ellen said she was bitterly disappointed that leading politicians had not stepped up in the wake of her death to lead the way in getting appeals out.
"For the leaders of this country, whose job it is to look after the people of this country, to not be there for Natalie, her family or this community is unacceptable," she said.
"It feels as though for the people of Lurgan, no-one outside of Lurgan is even talking about this.
"There is someone out there who did this horrific crime and they are walking around our streets - people do not feel safe in our community.
"Natalie deserves justice and her family deserve answers.
"Politicians have a platform greater than most people in this country and they need to be using it to get her name out there and get that man off the streets and behind bars."
Her childhood best friend said that she couldn't understand how the initial shock and outrage at Natalie's murder had dissipated so quickly.
"I don't know if it's just the time of year or people are blocking it out, like it's not their problem, but it's everybody's problem," she said.
"If there's somebody in this country, and this is not a big country, capable of something as horrendous as this then nobody is safe until they are put behind bars.
"Natalie was pregnant and that wee boy deserves justice too."
She added that things were moving in the right direction but that greater work was needed to root out problematic attitudes and that the McNally family still needed the support of everyone as they seek justice.
She also urged anyone with information about Natalie's murder to come forward.
"Although conversations have started we are nowhere near where we need to be to end violence against women and girls," she said.
"When something as horrific as this happens in a country as small and close knit as ours and the leaders of the country stay silent it really does speak volumes.
"I want to see political leaders use their platform to get Natalie's name out there, to show up for our community and try and do something to get this guy behind bars.
"For Natalie's family and her wee boy, they deserve answers and they deserve everyone in this country to be behind them, including our politicians."
READ NEXT:
- Natalie McNally: Police investigating murder 'attend address' in area where she lived
- Natalie McNally: PSNI renew CCTV appeal after 'violent murder' of pregnant NI woman
- Natalie McNally brother calls for end to "violence against girls and women"
- Natalie McNally: Tributes to young Lurgan woman who 'had a bright future'
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