“SHE WAS SUCH A HAPPY GIRL” — 11-YEAR-OLD MIYA DEAMER-JONES FOUND DEAD NEAR VILLAGE CRICKET GROUND

A quiet Worcestershire village has been left devastated after an 11-year-old schoolgirl was found dead in a park, hours after her family reported her missing.

An 11-year-old girl has been found dead in a park near a cricket ground in a quiet Worcestershire village, leaving her family, friends and neighbours struggling to comprehend the tragedy.

The youngster has been locally identified as Miya Deamer-Jones, although West Mercia Police have not formally confirmed her identity.

Miya was reported missing at around 11:20 p.m. on Sunday, October 4, after she failed to return home.

She was later found deceased in a park close to Elmley Castle Cricket Club in Worcestershire.

Police are treating her death as “unexplained” while detectives work to establish exactly what happened.

A QUIET VILLAGE LEFT IN SHOCK

Elmley Castle is a small, close-knit community where residents say children regularly play around the village and cricket ground.

The discovery has left locals deeply shaken.

Police cordoned off part of the area around the cricket nets as officers began examining the scene.

An increased police presence remains in the village as detectives continue their enquiries.

Chief Inspector Daniel Pilkington said the death of such a young girl would be deeply upsetting for the community and urged people not to speculate about the circumstances surrounding her death.

Her family is being supported by specially trained officers.

TORCHES WERE SEEN HOURS BEFORE THE SEARCH BEGAN

One detail has emerged that has attracted attention during the investigation.

Local resident Nicholas Farrington, who is in his 70s, told The Sun that he was walking his dog at around 7:45 p.m. on Sunday when he noticed what appeared to be two people carrying torches near the cricket nets.

The area was later connected to the discovery of Miya’s body.

Farrington said he thought the sight was unusual at the time but did not think more about it until he learned what had happened.

However, there is currently no police confirmation that the people he saw were connected to Miya or to her death.

Detectives have urged anyone who may have relevant information to come forward.

SHE HAD BEEN PLAYING WITH A FRIEND

According to reports, Miya had been playing with a friend at home earlier on Sunday.

Her family later became concerned when she did not return.

They searched around the village before contacting police at approximately 11:20 p.m.

The search ended in devastating circumstances when the young girl’s body was discovered near the cricket ground.

Reports say Miya was one of four sisters and lived with her mother and at least one sibling nearby.

She was also believed to have attended Bredon Hill Academy in Ashton-under-Hill.

“SHE WAS SUCH A HAPPY GIRL”

Tributes have already begun appearing near the scene.

Among them were sunflowers left on a nearby bench and a heartbreaking message from a school friend.

The message described how much Miya would be missed and said she would always remain in her friend’s heart.

Neighbours have described Miya as a happy and cheeky girl.

One local resident told The Sun:

“She was such a happy girl. This is tragic.”

Another described the discovery as every parent’s worst nightmare.

For a village where residents say everybody knows everybody, the tragedy has been particularly difficult to process.

ANOTHER LOSS FOR MIYA’S FAMILY

The tragedy is understood to have come after another devastating loss for the family.

Miya is reported to have lost her father to cancer approximately three years ago.

A local source told The Sun that Miya had missed her father deeply.

Now, her family is facing another devastating loss.

POLICE ARE STILL SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS

At this stage, police have not said that Miya’s death was a homicide, nor have they publicly established how she died.

The official description remains “unexplained.”

That distinction is important as detectives continue gathering evidence and speaking to potential witnesses.

West Mercia Police have specifically asked members of the public not to speculate, warning that rumours could have a significant impact on Miya’s grieving family.

Residents have been told to expect officers in the area while the investigation continues.

A FAMILY WAITING FOR ANSWERS

For Miya’s family, the search that began with the hope of bringing an 11-year-old girl safely home ended in unimaginable heartbreak.

For her friends and classmates, the flowers now left near the scene are a reminder of a young life that has suddenly been taken away.

And for the residents of Elmley Castle, a village known for its quiet community and children playing around the cricket ground, the tragedy has left a painful question hanging over the area:

What happened to Miya?

For now, detectives are still trying to find that answer.

And her family is waiting for the truth.