Murder probe launched after girl, 14, found dead in beauty spot park
A murder investigation was launched after a body was found during the search for the missing teenager.
A 14-year-old schoolgirl named Lilly was reported missing before police found a body late Monday night.
Police said the teenager’s family were notified after his body was found in the Duffryn Park area of the former mining village of Blaina, near Ebbw Vale in South Wales.
Local people were anxiously looking for Lilly after they last saw her on the main street of the village of 4,000 people at 18.50 on Saturday.
Drones were sent in as part of a police search before the gruesome discovery was made about half a mile from where he was last seen near the waterside walk in the park known as Pilgrims Park.
Locals said Lilly’s phone was turned off around 6.30pm on Saturday and her last known sighting was 20 minutes later.
Her mother, Gemma, pleaded desperately: ‘Please bring my baby back home.’
A spokesman said: ‘Gwent Police launched a murder investigation after the body of a woman was discovered in the Duffryn Park area of Blaina at around 10.10pm on Monday, June 22.
‘Formal identification has not yet taken place but the family of 14-year-old Lilly, who was reported missing to Gwent Police, have been notified.’
Lilly was reported missing by her worried family before police found a body in the Duffyn Park area, near Ebbw Vale in South Wales, late on Monday night.
Senior Investigating Officer Detective Chief Inspector Steven Thomas said: ‘We understand this will cause distress and concern within our communities.
‘We currently have a large police presence in the area as investigations continue to establish the circumstances of the death.
‘Our officers are here and ready for you to speak.
‘We would urge anyone with information to speak to us or contact us through normal channels.’
‘Officers are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.’
A female villager said she saw Lilly ‘outside the kebab shop’ on Saturday evening and ‘initially she looked like she was waiting for someone’.
He said: ‘I told her she looked beautiful. ‘He crossed the street and walked through the churchyard.’
Gwent Police’s previous appeal to find Lilly read: ‘We are appealing for information to find missing 14-year-old Lilly.
‘Lilly, from Blaina, was last seen in High Street, Blaina, at around 6.50pm on Saturday evening, June 20.
‘He is described as white, around 6ft tall, of medium build and long black hair.
‘Lilly was last seen wearing a long black dress and black sandals.
‘He knows he has connections to areas in Brynmawr.’
This is breaking news, more to come.
