Montreal police are investigating the fatal stabbing of a 14-year-old girl in Côte St. Luc, Que. (CBC)

The brother of a 14-year-old girl found stabbed to death Monday evening at her family home in Côte St. Luc, Que., has been charged with first-degree murder.

Maor Attar, 18, was arraigned Tuesday by telephone hookup from Montreal's Jewish General Hospital, where he is being treated.

The hearing at the Montreal courthouse was over in a less than a minute.

A legal aid lawyer representing Attar pleaded not guilty on behalf of his client.

Judge Claude Leblond ordered Attar to remain in custody, either at the hospital or at a detention centre after he is released from hospital.

Crown attorney Véronique Michaud wouldn't confirm whether the suspect's wounds were self-inflicted.

Police arrived at the home on Randall Street, after a family member called 911 at 6:40 p.m. Monday.

Officers discovered the girl dead, with marks of violence on her body, police said.

Her brother was not on the scene when police arrived, and they found him at a house nearby around 11 p.m.

The major crimes investigation unit interrogated the brother overnight, police said.

Attar's next court appearance will be on Sept. 8.

Neighbours shocked

Neighbour Vivianne Elbaz said she saw another young woman running out of the building Monday evening.

"I guess the parents were in the police car, and she started screaming, 'why and why' … you could hear her [screaming] from a mile away," Elbaz said.

Neighbour Michael Peres said the victim always spoke highly of her brother.

"She would talk about the brother sometimes .… She said he's a very very quiet person, very nice person," said Peres.

"They are quiet and really nice people," a young family friend, who wouldn't give her name, said after trying to visit the victim's older sister Tuesday morning.

This was the 24th homicide this year in the Montreal area.