Police searching for missing teenager Gaia Pope say they have found a body
Police have discovered a body in the search for an English teenage girl who has been missing for more than a week.
Gaia Pope, 19, has not been seen since she vanished from the Swanage area of Dorset, in England’s southwest on November 7, Wales Online reports.
Hundreds of people, including her father Richard Sutherland, scoured the countryside and the coastline for Gaia, who has severe epilepsy.
On Thursday, clothes belonging to the teen were found in a field near cliffs.
But on Saturday, police made a tragic breakthrough in their investigation near where the clothes were found.
Dorset Police found the body of a woman and Detective Superintendent Paul Kessell said although he body is yet to be formally identified, police are “confident” they have found the teen.
"Her family have been informed and are being supported by specially-trained officers,” Det Supt Kessell said.
He added that the coroner has been notified and will begin further forensic examination. The death still remains unexplained.
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Even though the body is yet to be identified as Gaia, her family are preparing for the worst.
Gaia’s cousin Marienna Pope-Weidemann told Sky News the family are “absolutely devastated” by the find and “unable to put these feelings of loss into words”.
“Our little bird has flown but will always be with us,” she said.
Gaia’s parents had hoped to find their daughter alive. Her mother, Natasha, posted on Facebook during the search that she believed “miracles can happen”.
"I am holding onto hope, along with Gaia's sisters and the whole family who are my strength,” Ms Pope said.
“Please hold on with us.”
A 71-year-old woman, a 19-year-old man and a 49-year-old man have all been arrested on suspicion of murder but released under investigation.
