MIYA DEAMER-JONES, 11, REMEMBERED AS FAMILY SEEKS SUPPORT AFTER DEVASTATING LOSS
MIYA DEAMER-JONES, 11, REMEMBERED AS FAMILY SEEKS SUPPORT AFTER DEVASTATING LOSS
The Worcestershire schoolgirl was found in an open area near her village cricket ground after being reported missing. Her mother and three sisters are now facing life without the youngest member of their family.
ELMLEY CASTLE, WORCESTERSHIRE, ENGLAND — The family of 11-year-old Miya Deamer-Jones is enduring an unimaginable loss after the schoolgirl was found dead in her village shortly after she was reported missing.
Miya was reported missing at around 11:20 p.m. on Sunday, October 4, 2026. West Mercia Police said she was later found in an open area near the cricket ground in Elmley Castle, near Pershore.
Her death initially prompted extensive inquiries as officers worked to establish what had happened. The case has since taken a different direction: police confirmed that they found no evidence of suspicious circumstances or third-party involvement and that the death would not be treated as a criminal investigation. A report was to be prepared for the coroner.
A MOTHER AND THREE SISTERS LEFT GRIEVING
Miya was the youngest of four sisters and was deeply loved by her mother, Katie Jones, and her siblings, according to a fundraising appeal organized by her mother’s childhood friend, Rebecca Lippitt.
The appeal describes the family’s heartbreak and the difficult practical decisions that have followed Miya’s death. Alongside their grief, they are trying to arrange a funeral and create a lasting memorial where they can remember their daughter and little sister.
The fundraiser asks people to help ease some of the financial pressure at a time when the family is coping with a loss no parent should have to face.
ANOTHER LOSS IN THE FAMILY’S STORY
Miya’s father died from cancer three years before her death, according to published reports. The family has therefore faced an earlier bereavement before this latest tragedy.
Friends and members of the local community have shared tributes and messages of sympathy. Flowers and notes were also left near the area where Miya was found, reflecting the sadness felt across the village.
For those who knew her, Miya was not simply a name in a news story. She was a daughter, a sister and a young person whose place in her family’s everyday life cannot be replaced.
POLICE URGE PEOPLE NOT TO SPECULATE
In the days following Miya’s death, police asked the public to avoid spreading unverified information online. Chief Inspector Daniel Pilkington acknowledged that people naturally wanted answers, but warned that speculation could cause additional distress to a family already grieving.
After completing detailed inquiries, officers said they had found no evidence of suspicious circumstances or third-party involvement. The death is not being treated as a criminal investigation.
The coroner will consider the circumstances in due course. Until then, it is important to distinguish confirmed information from online rumours and assumptions.
FUNDRAISER AIMS TO PROVIDE A LASTING MEMORIAL
Rebecca Lippitt’s fundraiser aims to help Katie and her daughters meet funeral costs and provide Miya with a gravestone and a place where they can visit to remember her.
The organizer has encouraged people to donate if they are able, or share the appeal so it can reach others who may wish to help.
Although community support cannot take away the family’s pain, it can help ease some of the practical burdens they face during an exceptionally difficult period.
REMEMBERING MIYA
At just 11 years old, Miya had so much of life still ahead of her. Her death has affected her family, friends, school community and neighbours in Elmley Castle.
For Katie and her daughters, the days ahead will be shaped by grief and by the memories they hold of their youngest family member.
As they prepare to say goodbye, those supporting them are asking for kindness, respect for their privacy and an end to speculation about the circumstances of Miya’s death.
Miya’s family wants her to be remembered as the much-loved girl she was, surrounded by people who cared for her and who will continue to carry her memory with them.
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