A missing schoolgirl has been found dead in a Worcestershire village park after disappearing less than 24 hours ago. The 11-year-old child, who has not been named, had been reported as missing at around 11.20pm on Sunday evening. But her body was discovered in a park close to a cricket ground in the village of Elmley Castle. West Mercia Police has confirmed the girl’s death is currently being treated as “unexplained”. Officers have said enquiries into the circumstances surrounding her death are ongoing. The girl’s family have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers at this time. The force said Elmley Castle residents should expect to see an increased police presence in the village over the coming days as an investigation into the death continues. A West Mercia Police spokesman said: “An investigation has been launched after the body of an 11-year-old girl was found in Elmley Castle, Worcestershire.The girl’s body was tragically discovered in a park close to the cricket ground in the village of Elmley Castle | GOOGLE”The girl was reported missing at around 11.20pm yesterday evening (Sunday 4 October) and was later found deceased in the park near the cricket ground.”Her family have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers.”Enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding her death, which at this stage is being treated as unexplained.”People living in Elmley Castle will see an increased police presence in the area while officers carry out their enquiries.”
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The force said that Elmley Castle residents should expect to see an increased police presence in the village over the coming days | GETTYThe case comes just weeks after the body of three-year-old Noah Wood was found in a Suffolk pond after he was reported missing. Noah vanished on September 15 after becoming separated from a relative during a visit to the playground in Merriam Close.Officers from the Metropolitan Police Dive Team recovered the body of a child from Decoy Pond in Brantham.Search efforts drew droves of volunteers to the Village Hall to support the desperate operation to find the youngster, who police said was non-verbal, partially deaf and had been undergoing an assessment for autism.More than 1,300 people joined the search over the following 24 hours.An inquest into Noah’s death was opened and adjourned in Ipswich on September 25. Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Connick told the hearing that on September 15, Noah, of East Bergholt, Suffolk, was being “looked after by relatives and this was part of a normal routine for Noah”.He said they walked to an under-fives play area and CCTV footage in the park “showed Noah playing with his relative”.The officer said Noah “left through a gap in the fence leading to the memorial garden where he left through an open gate”.