The Negeri Sembilan state police chief was the first person who took the stand this morning on the first day of the inquest into the death of French-Irish teenager Nora Anne Quoirin.
The inquest held at the Seremban Court Complex went live on YouTube at around 10am today, a year after the 15-year-old was found dead in the Seremban rainforest, near an eco-resort where her family had checked in for a two-week vacation.
Resort owner says villa where Nora Anne Quoirin stayed needed fixing
Police chief Mohamad Mat Yusop was one of 64 witnesses called into court to assist with the investigations of the teenager’s disappearance and death. He told the court that he had called for a police investigation while the search mission was underway, citing the special circumstances.
“The person did not go missing while hiking, but she went missing from her room at the resort, at the wee hours of the morning,” he told coroner Maimoonah Aid. “The police felt like we had to conduct a more thorough investigation based on these circumstances.”
Mat Yusop also told the court of his involvement with Quoirin’s case since she was reported missing last year, and detailed his accounts when he spoke to her family members.
The whole proceeding, which will take place for nine days through to Sep 4, will be broadcasted live on The Malaysian Judiciary’s channel.
Quoirin, who was a special needs teenager, was reported missing on Aug. 4, a day after she arrived with her family at The Dusun from London. Police said the large window in her room was left open, suggesting that she had fled through the window.
Nine days later, Quoirin’s body was found near a stream in the rainforest, about 2.5km away from the resort, following a massive search by authorities and experienced hikers.
Medical experts conducted a nine-hour autopsy and later concluded that she had died of gastrointestinal bleeding from hunger and stress over a prolonged period. They ruled out foul play.
Other stories to check out:
Resort owner says villa where Nora Anne Quoirin stayed needed fixing
Authorities confirm that body found in stream is missing Irish teen
Parents of Nora Quoirin insist there was ‘criminal element’ in her disappearance
