Home / Disasters and Accidents / K'gari Island Tragedy: Teen's Autopsy Reveals Dingo Scars
K'gari Island Tragedy: Teen's Autopsy Reveals Dingo Scars
24 Jan
Summary
- Autopsy shows teen suffered dingo bites before drowning.
- Piper James, 19, was found dead surrounded by dingoes.
- Further tests are needed to confirm drowning as cause of death.
The body of 19-year-old Piper James was discovered on K'gari Island, Australia, surrounded by dingoes. Preliminary autopsy findings revealed evidence consistent with drowning, alongside 'pre-mortem' dingo bite marks. This suggests Ms. James may have attempted to escape the native dogs by fleeing into the ocean. Extensive post-mortem bite marks were also present, but no evidence of human involvement was found.
Further pathology results are expected within weeks to help determine the precise cause of death. Ms. James, originally from Campbell River, British Columbia, had been travelling in Australia with a friend for six weeks. Her family, en route to Australia, has been invited to participate in an Indigenous smoking ceremony on K'gari.
A GoFundMe page has been established by her family to assist with repatriation costs. Authorities had previously warned of heightened dingo activity in the area where Ms. James died. Despite ongoing safety concerns, Queensland's Premier has ruled out restrictions on visitor numbers to K'gari.
