Gaia froze to death on clifftop as cops hunted ‘murderer’
A TEENAGER whose disappearance sparked an 11-day murder probe died of hypothermia, an inquest heard yesterday.
Gaia Pope, 19, froze to death after falling into gorse bushes on a remote clifftop, the hearing was told.
She had been in a distressed state and had run off to her favourite beauty spot in Swanage, Dorset.
The secluded area was searched by the emergency services the day after Gaia disappeared on November 7 but her body was not discovered until 11 days later.
In the meantime, Dorset Police launched a high-profile murder inquiry and arrested three members of a family on suspicion of killing her – before releasing all without charge.
During yesterday’s short hearing, Dorset coroner Rachael Griffin said she would question police chiefs over their handling of the botched investigation.
Although the exact time of death was not revealed, there is mounting concern that Gaia could have been found alive had police acted differently.
Yesterday the student’s family, who have criticised the police inquiry, said their ‘hearts broke all over again’ when they learned she had frozen to death.
They had launched a massive campaign to find her and spent days searching with friends, police and coastguards. Meanwhile Greg Elsey, whose ex-wife, son, and grandson were arrested on suspicion of murder, said after the inquest: ‘If [the police] had done their job properly it might have saved her life’.
The 69-year- old, of Romsey, Hampshire, said: ‘I’ve heard she was found in one of her favourite places – why did police arrest half my family when they could have been out finding her there?
‘It’s been a very traumatic experience and it was such a waste of everyone’s time.
‘Ultimately, a young girl has died and that’s the shame of it
‘Our hearts broke all over again’
all. You can’t help but feel if they put more effort in they could have found her.’ Mr Elsey added that police had not apologised to his family.
He added his ex-wife Rosemary Dinch, 71, son Paul Elsey, 49, and grandson Nathan Elsey, 19, were shaken up by the ‘traumatic experience’ of being arrested, saying: ‘Nathan is at college again and has had a lot of support, but for a young man who has not been in trouble for anything in his life before, this has had a big effect on him, it’s been awful.’ After her disappearance, friends of Gaia, of Langton Matravers, said she had been worried because a young man who she had accused of sexually assaulting her was about to be released from jail.
After the inquest hearing at Bournemouth Town Hall, her cousin Marienna Pope-Weidemann said in a statement: ‘It was just a few days ago that the family received confirmation that Gaia died of hypothermia and our hearts broke all over again. Every minute without Gaia seems like an hour and every hour without answers feels endless.
‘Far too often young women who survive sexual violence are denied dignity. They are dismissed or disbelieved, denied a voice and then misrepresented.
‘They have to fight, like Gaia did to be heard, to have their needs heard and their rights respected. Despite everything she went through she remained loving, joyful and brave. Here was a bright and powerful young woman who wanted to devote her life to others. We will always be proud of her.
‘We know now what took her from us but when, how and why are all questions that are yet to be answered, not just for our family but for the next family who wakes up in that nightmare situation someday.
‘ We are hopeful that this inquest will find answers. The road is long but with support we will find justice for Gaia.’
The coroner said: ‘I am fully aware the family have a number on concerns into Gaia’s death. Some of them will be very relevant to my inquiry. I will request a statement from Dorset police about the missing persons investigation undertaken and the investigation around the circumstances of her death.’
The hearing was adjourned until May.