11-YEAR-OLD MIYA DEAMER-JONES FOUND DE@D AFTER GOING MISSING — TORCHES SEEN NEAR CRICKET GROUND HOURS EARLIER
11-YEAR-OLD MIYA DEAMER-JONES FOUND DEAD AFTER GOING MISSING — TORCHES SEEN NEAR CRICKET GROUND HOURS EARLIER
A quiet Worcestershire village has been left devastated after an 11-year-old girl was found dead hours after her family reported her missing.
An 11-year-old schoolgirl has been found dead in a park in Elmley Castle, Worcestershire, after disappearing on Sunday night — leaving her family, classmates and a close-knit village struggling to understand what happened.
The girl has been named locally as Miya Deamer-Jones, although police have not formally released her identity.
West Mercia Police said Miya was reported missing at around 11:20 p.m. on Sunday, October 4, before her body was later discovered in a park close to the village cricket ground.
Her death is currently being treated as unexplained, and investigators are working to establish the circumstances surrounding it.
A FAMILY’S SEARCH ENDED IN HEARTBREAK
According to reports, Miya had spent part of Sunday afternoon playing with a friend.
She was believed to have later made her way toward the cricket field, an area where local children were known to visit and where villagers said youngsters sometimes stopped at the cricket club for hot chocolate.
When she did not return home, her family began searching for her.
Police were eventually contacted at around 11:20 p.m.
What began as a desperate search for a missing child soon became a heartbreaking discovery.
TORCHES WERE SEEN HOURS BEFORE THE SEARCH
One detail has drawn particular attention as investigators work to piece together the timeline.
A local resident, retired Nicholas Farrington, told The Sun that he was walking his dog at around 7:45 p.m. Sunday when he noticed what appeared to be two people carrying torches near the cricket nets.
He said the location was the same general area where Miya was later found.
At the time, he thought the sight was unusual but did not think more about it. Only after learning about Miya’s death did he connect what he had seen with the investigation.
The sighting has been reported as part of the developing story, but there is no indication from police that the people seen with torches were connected to Miya’s death.
A QUIET VILLAGE LEFT IN SHOCK
Elmley Castle is a small and traditionally quiet village.
The discovery has shaken residents who described the community as a place where people know one another and children regularly play outside.
A local woman with a daughter around Miya’s age described the news as a “real shock,” saying residents had generally felt that children were safe in the village.
Another resident told reporters that the tragedy was difficult to comprehend in a community where serious incidents are unusual.
Police have increased their presence in the area while investigators continue their work.
A section of woodland near the cricket practice nets was cordoned off, with officers remaining at the scene as enquiries continued.
TRIBUTES BEGIN TO APPEAR
As news spread, flowers began appearing close to the scene.
Sunflowers were left on a nearby bench, while a heartbreaking message from a school friend described how deeply Miya would be missed.
Local residents also remembered her as a happy and cheeky child.
Those who knew the family have gathered to offer support as investigators continue trying to answer the questions surrounding her death.
A FAMILY ALREADY TOUCHED BY LOSS
Miya’s death has brought another layer of sadness to a family that had already experienced a devastating loss.
According to reports, her father died from cancer around three years ago.
A source told The Sun that Miya had missed her father greatly following his death.
She was one of four sisters and lived with her mother and at least one of her siblings in the village, according to local reports.
POLICE URGE PEOPLE NOT TO SPECULATE
West Mercia Police have stressed that the circumstances surrounding Miya’s death remain unclear.
Chief Inspector Daniel Pilkington said officers were working to establish exactly what had happened and provide the family with answers.
He also urged members of the public not to speculate about the circumstances of the death, warning that speculation could have a serious impact on Miya’s family during an already devastating time.
Residents can expect an increased police presence in Elmley Castle while the investigation continues.
At this stage, police have not publicly announced a cause of death, and there has been no confirmed public identification of a suspect.
The investigation remains ongoing.
“SHE WAS SUCH A HAPPY GIRL”
For those who knew Miya, the investigation is only part of the story.
Behind the police cordon and unanswered questions was an 11-year-old girl remembered by people around her as happy, cheeky and loved.
Her classmates have already begun leaving messages.
Her community has begun leaving flowers.
And her family is now facing the unimaginable task of saying goodbye while waiting for answers about what happened to their daughter.
For a small village that knew Miya as one of its children, the loss has left a painful silence — and a community waiting for the truth.
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