MAN, 19, HELD IN TRAGIC AMBER MURDER PROBE
Police reveal family’s agony as officer calls for community to ‘come together’
A 19-YEAR-OLD man has been arrested in connection with the death of teenager Amber Gibson.
The 16-year-old’s body was found in a wooded area near Cadzow Glen, Hamilton, on Sunday morning after she had been reported missing two days earlier.
Amber, who was staying at a council-run care home at the time, was last seen in the Hillhouse area of the town at about 9.15pm on Friday.
She was then spotted on Cadzow Street – near where her body was later discovered – about 45 minutes later.
A murder investigation was launched following the results of a post-mortem, with an increased police presence remaining in the area.
Police have now announced that a male teenager has been arrested but not yet charged.
The force said last night: “We can confirm that a 19-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the death of
Amber Gibson. Amber, 16, had been reported missing from the Hamilton area on Friday, November 26, and her body was discovered near to Cadzow Glen around 10.10am on Sunday, 28 November. “Inquiries are ongoing.” Detectives yesterday held a press conference and described how Amber’s family had been left devastated by her death.
Detective Superintendent Raymond Brown said: “Amber was a young girl at the start of her life. Obviously, like every young kid at that age, she was out doing what a young girl would do.
“Our focus is to understand Amber’s last movements, so that we can provide some answers to her loved ones.”
Chief Inspector Briony Daye reassured the public that high visibility patrols were being carried out in the area.
She said: “This is shocking and distressing news, we are all human and need to come together now because that will help the investigation.”
The dad of murdered Hamilton teenager Amanda Duffy, who died less than mile from where Amber’s body was found, sent “heartfelt condolences and prayers” to her loved ones yesterday.
Amanda was just 19 when her half-naked body was found in wooded wasteland near the town’s Miller Street car park in 1992. She had been strangled and brutally beaten.
Prime suspect Francis Auld was cleared of her murder on the controversial “not proven” verdict before his death.
Amanda’s dad Joe, who set up The Manda Centre offering support to those experiencing trauma, said: “From myself and all of the Duffy family, we would send our heartfelt condolences and prayers to the family.
“It’s tragic and we hope they can find their way through it.”