Anguish of family as girl aged 15 is found dead at beauty spot
THE family of a 15-year-old girl who was found dead at a city centre beauty spot yesterday pleaded for answers as they spoke of their devastation.
Mhari O’Neill’s body was found on a gravel path on Edinburgh’s Calton Hill in the early hours of Saturday.
Detectives investigating the death said the schoolgirl had been out in the city with a friend on Friday afternoon.
The pair had then spent the evening at the vantage point, popular with tourists, before parting ways around 11pm.
Mhari’s body was discovered by a passerby at 6.30am. Police and paramedics were called but the teenager, who had never gone missing before, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The death is being treated as ‘unexplained’ by police, who are waiting for the results of a toxicology report, which tests for drugs and alcohol in the blood system.
In a statement issued through Police Scotland, her family said: ‘Mhari was much loved by all who knew her and we know that her passing will have a profound impact on her closest friends.
‘We need to find out exactly what happened and we want anyone who may have information to get in touch with the police.’
The teenager had attended class at Portobello High School, where she excelled at English, as normal on Friday morning.
She met a friend at Waverley railway station that afternoon, following a half day of lessons.
Police confirmed that the pair
‘Number of lines of inquiry’
spent the afternoon together. However, detectives said it is unclear whether they met other friends at Calton Hill or if they were alone.
Mhari’s parents tried to look for their daughter when she did not return to her home in the Willowbrae area in the east of the city within her usual curfew time.
They raised the alarm in the early hours of the morning when they failed to find her.
Detectives said they were attempting to piece together the ‘missing hours’ between 11pm, when the pair separated, and 6.30am when Mhari was found.
A post-mostem examination has been carried out but police said they were still waiting for several other tests to be completed.
Detective Inspector Susan Balfour, of Police Scotland’s major investigations team, said: ‘We are looking to piece together Mhari’s movements up until the time she was found. We have got a few hours that are unaccounted for.
‘She had been reported missing by her family after failing to return the night before at her normal curfew time, which was out of character.
‘Her death is not being treated as suspicious and we have a number of lines of inquiry ongoing to establish a cause of death.’
According to police, Mhairi’s behaviour on the day was not out of the ordinary and it is not believed she took her own life.
Ruth McKay, head teacher at Portobello High School, said: ‘Everyone at the school is deeply saddened and shocked to hear about Mhari’s sudden death.
‘The Portobello school community is a very close one and our thoughts are with her family.
‘Mhari was a lovely, friendly girl who was well liked by both staff and young people. Her bubbly, out-going nature and ready smile will be much-missed in school.’
Floral tributes were yesterday left next to a bench where she was found.