Body Found in Search for Missing Australian Teen

The body of a woman was found following an eight-day search for Australian teenager Lily Hooper. Hooper had been reported missing on August 12. New South Wales Police revealed that a body was discovered during the search in the Southern Highlands. Although formal identification is yet to occur, officers suspect it is the 18-year-old.

This announcement followed New South Wales Premier Chris Minns’s incorrect statement to state parliament, claiming Hooper had been found alive. Reports indicated that her family was informed of her being alive before the error was corrected.

Mal Lanyon, the New South Wales police commissioner, expressed regret, stating, “That miscommunication, I apologize for any additional trauma that may have caused Lily’s family, but certainly for the embarrassment and confusion that caused.” An investigation will be conducted into the inter-agency miscommunication.

Hooper had left her Sydney home for a hike in a nearby national park on August 12 and was reported missing that evening when she didn’t return.

The Hooper family stated that they are “absolutely devastated that our beloved daughter Lily is missing.” They have requested privacy and understanding as they “navigate this unimaginable situation.”

This story is developing with more information to follow.