A murder investigation has been launched after the body of a female was found in a park in the Duffryn Park area of Blaina at around 10pm on Monday. Formal identification has yet to take place, however police have confirmed the family of Lilly, aged 14, who had been reported as missing to Gwent Police has been informed.
Lilly, 14, from Blaina, had been missing since Saturday. Gwent Police issued an appeal to the media at around 2pm on Monday for help gathering information on Lilly's whereabouts. They said that Lilly was last seen in High Street, Blaina at around 6.50pm on Saturday, June 20. She was described by police in the appeal as white, around 5ft 6 inches tall, with a medium build and long black hair.
Police Cordon at the Scene
Pictures show a police cordon at the scene at Pilgrims Park in Blaina, Abertillery, on Tuesday morning. Emergency services have been working at the park since around 10pm on Monday.
Senior Investigating Officer's Statement
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Steven Thomas, said: "We understand that this will cause distress and concern amongst our communities. We have a large police presence in the area at this time as enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances of the death. Our officers are here and available for you to speak to. We encourage anyone with information to please speak with us or you can contact us on the usual channels."
Appeal for Information
Officers are appealing for anyone with information to come forward. You can contact police on 101, quoting 2600197059, you can send a direct message on Facebook or X, or online: https://www.gwent.police.uk/contact/af/contact-us-beta/contact-us/ Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org.
