Emma Watson Nowling's family decided to have a private funeral for the 7-year-old, who died in a shooting last week.

The Belleville girl, who attended school at South Arbor Charter Academy in Pittsfield Township, died Dec. 3 when a family friend shot her and her mother outside the Taylor Sportsplex before turning the gun on himself.

Kim Bondy, principal at South Arbor, told parents in an email the family decided to have a private funeral for Emma, and thanked them for attending a candlelight vigil to honer her on Thursday.

She also said the school will offer children continued support, and parents can contact their child's teacher to arrange it.

"We will continue to support each other here at school," Bondy said. "I feel fortunate to be in such a caring community."

Lindsay Knake is the K-12 education reporter for The Ann Arbor News. Follow her on twitter or contact her at 989-372-2498 or lknake@mlive.com. Find all Washtenaw County K-12 education stories on MLive.com.