The parents of a Canadian woman found dead on a remote Australian island say they are struggling to comprehend the loss as authorities investigate whether she drowned or was attacked by a wild dog.
Piper James, 19, was found early Monday morning on a beach at K’gari, a World Heritage sand island off Queensland, close to the Maheno wreck.
Police said an investigation into the circumstances of her death was ongoing as her body was found surrounded by a pack of wild dogs.
An autopsy begins this week, with Queensland’s coroner tasked with determining whether the teenager died after entering the ocean, or died from wildlife injuries or other causes.
Officials said further forensic testing is needed before conclusions can be drawn.
For her family, the wait has been painful. “Our hearts are broken as we share the tragic loss of our beautiful daughter Piper,” Todd James said on social media.
“We will always remember her infectious laughter and kind spirit. I admire her strength and determination to pursue her dreams.”
He said his daughter was excited about heading to Australia and cherished the friendships she had made along the way.
The teen had been living and working in K’gari (formerly Fraser Island) for six weeks, working as a housekeeper at a backpacker campground with a close friend from her hometown in British Columbia.
Queensland Police said the friend was “highly traumatized” by the incident.
According to investigators, Piper was last seen alive around 5 a.m. Monday, when she told people at the hotel that she planned to go to the beach. Her body was discovered by two men driving along the island’s eastern coastline.
Her mother, Angela James, told The Canadian Press that she had spoken to her daughter shortly before she went out that morning.
“She was so special. She was so precious. She was so empathetic. Always worried about other people,” she told us canadian news agency.
She said her daughter enjoyed her time in Australia and fell in love with Calgary.
“She’s very adventurous. She loves motocross. She loves camping, she loves swimming, she loves surfing. She wants to learn to surf,” she added.
and Australian Broadcasting CorporationThe mother said: “When I didn’t hear from her, I didn’t think much about it. I knew she didn’t have a phone. She had borrowed her girlfriend’s phone that morning to go to the beach, but they hadn’t found her girlfriend’s phone yet.”
She added: “When I heard Piper wasn’t well I don’t remember much. I remember just falling to the floor and screaming and going into shock.”
Before traveling overseas, the teen spent two summers working for British Columbia’s wildfire service, something her father said she was very proud of.
Friends and family have been sharing photos of her rafting, skiing, riding dirt bikes and firefighting, reflecting what her parents describe as a fearless lifestyle.
Her grandmother, Penny Van Naerstine Marshall, also expressed her condolences. She said her granddaughter had “an unbridled joy and courage.”
Piper James was found dead in K’gari, Australia, surrounded by dingoes (Todd James/Facebook)
“We have to acknowledge that a young woman lost her life in the prime of her life,” Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said at a press conference on Wednesday. “She was 19 years old, doing what she loved, taking the trip of a lifetime, and not being able to go home to her family is really hard,” Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said at a press conference on Wednesday.
He confirmed an autopsy was the key next step.
A Queensland Coroner’s Court spokesman said an investigation was ongoing and the teenager’s family was being briefed.
“Following the autopsy, further scientific testing will be required,” the spokesman said.
“These further results and determination of the cause of death may take some time.”
The island has only about 150 permanent residents but attracts about 400,000 tourists each year.
