Home News Family of missing teenager Nora Quoirin identify body found in jungle

Family of missing teenager Nora Quoirin identify body found in jungle

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Family of missing teenager Nora Quoirin identify body found in jungleThe parents of Nora Quoirin, a 15-year-old British girl who went missing in Malaysia, on Tuesday identified a body found in the jungle as their daughter’s. The teenager, who lived in London and had learning difficulties, disappeared on Aug 4 from the resort of Dusun while on holiday with her family. Her naked body was found in a ravine in the forest surrounding the resort, following a 350-person search involving police, volunteer hikers and even shamans. National deputy police chief Mazlan Mansor told reporters at a press conference that a body that “resembles Nora” had been found beside a small stream about 1.6 miles from the resort. He said the body was unclothed but declined to comment on whether it had any injuries.  The body was taken to hospital by helicopter where it was identified. Rescue teams have been looking for Nora since her disappearance on August 4 Credit: Mohd Rasfan/AFP Her family believed the teen, who had learning difficulties, had been abducted but police classified it as a missing person case. The Lucie Blackman Trust, a charity for Britons missing abroad, which is handling media inquiries for Nora’s family, said: “The Lucie Blackman Trust can confirm with great sadness that the body found today is that of missing teenager Nora Quoirin. “Local police have confirmed identification. The charity will update as soon as possible. Please respect the family and do not approach them at this difficult time.” An autopsy will be carried out on Wednesday. Confirmation of the teenager’s death followed local media reports that the search-and-rescue team received a call from a member of the public at around 1pm local time, after which a team was sent to an area near a waterfall. State police chief Mohamad Mat Yusop speaks to media outside the hospital morgue where Nora’s body was taken Credit: Lai Seng Sin/AP The body was found by a local team who have been searching for 10 days in the jungle for Nora, who was born with the brain defect holoprosencephaly. Nora never went out alone and had limited verbal communication skills, her family said last week. They said she had visited many countries in Asia and Europe but never before wandered off. Her parents, Meabh and Sebastien Quoirin, a French-Irish couple who have lived in London for 20 years, thanked those looking for her as fundraising pages set up by the teenager’s aunt and uncle collected more than £100,000 from well-wishers. Appearing before cameras on Monday, a visibly emotional Ms Quoirin said: “Nora is our first child. She has been vulnerable since the day she was born. She is so precious to us and our hearts are breaking.” Nora Quoirin was born with the brain defect holoprosencephaly Credit: AFP Police leading the investigation have refused to rule out a “criminal element”. The National Crime Agency (NCA), the Metropolitan Police and Irish police were supporting the Malaysian police with the case. President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, said: “Sabina and I offer our deepest condolences to Nora’s parents, Meabh and Sebastien, to Nora’s siblings and to her extended family. “On behalf of the people of Ireland, I would also like to express my gratitude for the assistance given by the Malaysian authorities in the search for Nora, for the volunteers who answered the call to join the search and for all those throughout Malaysia, Ireland, Britain and France who offered what support they could. Meabh Quoirin, Nora’s mother, appealed for information with a £10,000 reward Credit: Reuters Leo Varadkar, the Taoiseach, said: “Our thoughts & sincere condolences are with  Nora Quoirin’s parents, siblings & wider family at this unimaginably difficult  time. “They have experienced every family’s worst nightmare. I’d like to pay tribute to everyone who searched for Nora. May she rest in peace.”