The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Police rule out third party in teen’s death
Probe: Twin’sheartbreakasbodyofepilepticGaiaisfound
No one else was involved in the death of teenager Gaia Pope, according to police.
The 19-year-old’s body was found on Saturday by specialist search teams on land south of Swanage – close to where clothing positively identified as belonging to the teenager was found on Thursday.
Dorset Police said a postmortem examination had not identified any injuries to suggest third party involvement and Miss Pope’s death was being treated as “unexplained”.
Miss Pope, who suffered from severe epilepsy, had not been seen for 11 days and her disappearance prompted a massive campaign from family and friends to find her.
Detective Superintendent Paul Kessell, of Dorset Police’s major crime investigation team, said: “The post-mortem examination has not identified any injuries to suggest any other person was involved in her death. The cause of death is undetermined pending toxicology.
“The coroner is involved in the oversight of these examinations but at this time this remains an investigation into an unexplained death. The area where the body was located is likely to remain cordoned off for some time while forensic examinations and searches are concluded.”
Miss Pope’s twin sister, Maya, spoke of her heartbreak and vowed to “make her so proud”.
Miss Pope-Sutherland wrote on Facebook: “Can’t find any words right now. Gaia is my everything and I am heartbroken. I thank everyone who was involved in searching for my beautiful twin. Going to make her so proud.”
Last night, elder sister Clara Pope described the teenager as the “absolute light of my life” and said she was “so beautiful, so
“Gaia is my everything and I am heartbroken”
emotionally wise and intelligent and so passionate and artistic and creative and understanding”.
Floral tributes have been left on the Alfred Monument, next to the sea front.
The news of the discovery of Miss Pope’s body on Saturday night came hours after hundreds of people joined searches around Swanage looking for the teenager.
Miss Pope’s father, Richard Sutherland, was among them and personally thanked members of the public who had gathered at Durlston Country Park.
Earlier, Mr Sutherland said he feared that his daughter’s epilepsy may have played a part in her disappearance.
Detectives had arrested and released under investigation three people.
Miss Pope had not been seen since about 4pm on November 7 in Manor Gardens, Swanage.