Lily Hooper’s body was found Thursday morning. Photo: NSW Police
Australian police have apologized after mistakenly informing the public that a missing hiker had been recovered. In reality, the teen had been found dead after going missing for eight days in the bush.
The victim was 18-year-old Lily Hooper. As The Guardian reports, Hooper left Oakdale, New South Wales for a solo hike in the Nattai National Park on August 12. According to a statement from NSW Police, after she failed to return home that night, Lily’s family reported her missing.
Authorities promptly launched a multi-agency search, which went on until Thursday, August 20. That morning, police told media that a hiker had been found. “We’ve got some fantastic news,” NSW Premier Chris Minns told parliament during a live broadcast of a senate committee hearing. “I’ve got some fantastic news, Lily Hooper has been found alve. [She was] found in the bush with half a bottle of water with her.” Soon after, Hooper’s family was seen celebrating and hugging at the site of the search.
Only 20 minutes later, that sense of relief was shattered. “I’ve got some terrible news,” said Minns to parliament after receiving a second update. “I apologize to the committee, but it seems as if the earlier advice was wrong. Lily’s body has been found… This is devastating and I’m just profoundly sad for her family and for all those concerned.”
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon explained in a press conference that there had been a miscommunication after the recovery of Hooper’s body. “I unashamedly apologise for any additional trauma that may have caused Lily’s family, but certainly for the embarrassment and confusion that caused,” he said. “The miscommunication obviously was born out of elation that Lily had been found. Tragically, that miscommunication then led to a deflation.”
