A 15-Year-Old Girl Who Went Missing In The Eastern Townships Has Been Found Dead
After more than 4 days of intensive searches.
Police have found the body of Coralie Lessard, a 15-year-old girl who went missing in the Eastern Townships on November 20.
The Régie de Police de Memphrémagog confirmed the news in a press release on Thursday.
It said that at around 10:45 a.m., the Sûreté du Québec (SQ)'s search team had located Lessard's body in an isolated, wooded area about 1 kilometre west of where she was last seen by hunters on the afternoon she disappeared.
The cause of her death remains unknown, but police don't suspect foul play. A coroner's inquest is expected to provide more information.
Lessard was first reported missing when she did not return home after leaving her family's residence to go on a walk in the Omerville neighbourhood of Magog. Police said they, as well as immediate family, had reason to believe she was in danger.
The Police de Memphrémagog said in a post on Facebook that prior to her disappearance, "Coralie was in psychological distress and we had reason to believe she could take it out on herself."
Her disappearance led to more than four days of intensive searches by helicopter, ATV, dog, water vessel and drone. Around 200 people joined the search effort, scouring the 10-square-kilometre area between Route 112 in Omerville and the Magog River, according to police.
However, police announced they were concluding broad search efforts on Wednesday in exchange for less intense ones with specialized security personnel over the following few days.
"Out of respect for the family, no further details will be released regarding the circumstances surrounding the death," the Memphremagog police board said.
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