POLICE IN SCOTLAND have confirmed that a body found in Clydebank is that of missing teenage girl Paige Doherty.
The 15-year-old was reported missing by her family on Saturday.
An investigation into her death is underway and a post-mortem examination will be carried out to establish the exact circumstances, but police say they are currently treating it as murder.
Officers are currently gathering forensic evidence and CCTV footage for review, and carrying out door-to-door enquiries in the area.
The teenager left a friend’s house on Angus Street, Clydebank at around 8.15am on Saturday, she was seen at a local shop five minutes later on Fleming Street.
She never arrived for work at a hairdressing salon later that day. Her body was found near Great Western Road at 12.45pm yesterday, around 1.6km away from the shop where she was last seen.
Detective Superintendent Duncan Sloan told a press briefing today: “My priority is to find out what happened to Paige and to find who is responsible.
Our thoughts are with Paige’s family and friends at this most distressing time and I personally offer my condolences for their tragic loss. Paige was a young, friendly girl with plenty of friends and for her life to be taken away so brutally at such a young age is unfathomable to everyone.
“This type of crime is very rare, particularly in this community. I’d also like to take this opportunity to reassure the public that additional high-visibility officers will be patrolling the local community and anyone with any concerns are encouraged to approach them.”
He appealed to anyone who may have any information to come forward.
Laura Mason, Chief Education Officer at West Dunbartonshire Council, said: “Paige was a bright and popular pupil with a good sense of humour. Our thoughts are with Paige’s family and friends, and we are doing everything we can to support our young people at this sad time.”
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