LONDON POLICE INVESTIGATING the death of 12-year-old Tia Sharp are considering the possibility she was smothered.
A post-mortem examination is set to continue this week after the London schoolgirl’s body was discovered in her grandmother’s loft on Friday, following a week-long search.
The body was found wrapped in a black bed sheet and a black plastic bag, the Guardian reports.
Although a pathologist observed bruising on the body, no obvious major injuries were noted – leading to the theory that she may have been smothered, reports the BBC.
Yesterday Stuart Hazell, the 37-year-old partner of Tia’s grandmother, was remanded in custody after being charged with her murder. Hazell is accused of murdering the schoolgirl on a date unknown between 2 and 11 August.
She was reported missing on 3 August.
Hazell is scheduled to appear at the Old Bailey tomorrow, with a further date for a preliminary hearing marked for 19 November.
Tia’s grandmother Christine Sharp was also arrested on suspicion of murder, along with a 39-year old man who was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. They have both been released on bail and have been scheduled to return to speak to police in October.
On Saturday, Scotland Yard issued an apology to Tia’s mother over the delay in locating the 12-year-old’s body in her grandmother’s house, despite the property having been searched three previous times. The failure was blamed on “human error”.
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