Nora Quoirin: Family identify body found in Malaysia as missing teen

The family of Nora Quoirin have said the body found is that of the missing London teenager.

Nora, 15, was reported missing 10 days ago while on a family holiday at a jungle resort of Dasun, near Seremban – around an hour south of the capital Kuala Lumpur.

Nora’s father found she was not in her bedroom on the morning of 4 August, when he went in and discovered the window was open.

Police said rescuers found a body about 1.2 miles (2km) from where the teenager was reported missing.

Mohamad Mat Yusof, a police chief in the state where she was found, said: “The family has been brought in to identify the body found today and they have confirmed that the body is indeed Nora Anne.”

Nora was born with brain defect holoprosencephaly, and her mother says she has been “vulnerable since the day she was born”.

Giving more details of her special needs last week, her parents explained that she read like a young child, could not write more than a few words, and was unable to do maths, making money impossible to manage.

They said she was unable to make or receive phone calls independently.

At the early stages of the investigation police in Malaysia said there was no evidence of foul play, but her family repeatedly insisted she had been abducted.

A spokesman for the Lucie Blackman Trust, which is handling media for the family, said: “[We] can confirm with great sadness that the body found today is that of missing teenager Nora Quoirin. Local police have confirmed identification.”

National deputy police chief Mazlan Mansor earlier said the body was found without any clothing.

Police said they sent officials to a waterfall near Gunung Berembun in the Pantai Hills after receiving a call from a member of the public.

The body was flown by helicopter to a hospital where it was identified by Nora’s parents, Meabh and Sebastien Quoirin, who were told about the discovery.

Mr Yusof said: “The post-mortem process will start tomorrow morning and we will apply so that a senior pathologist from Kuala Lumpur will be here to conduct the process tomorrow.”

Nora was travelling on an Irish passport while on holiday, but her French-Irish parents have lived in London for 20 years.

Matthew Searle, chief executive of the Lucie Blackman Trust, said the timeline of repatriating her body would depend on whether extensive forensics needed to be carried out.

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.

“Our thoughts and prayers are now with Nora’s family, at this most difficult time.”

The French foreign office said: “We have learned with great sadness of the passing of the young Nora Quoirin in Malaysia.”

France’s Europe and foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and secretary of state for Europe Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne said: “The French authorities are at the disposition of the Malaysian authorities so that light can be shed on the circumstances of her death.”

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar tweeted: “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.”

Nora attended St Bede’s Catholic Church in Clapham Park in south London, which has been holding vigils for her since she went missing.

The primary school of the same name said in a post that it “will be open today from 1pm for all who want to join in prayer for Nora and her family”.

“This is the time we need to show the strength of our community and seek God’s guidance and support in this heartbreaking and horrific moment.”

(c) Sky News 2019: Nora Quoirin: Family identify body found in Malaysia as missing teen