Girl, 14, found dead in park suffered stab wounds, inquest hears

A 14-year-old girl found dead in a park is believed to have died from multiple stab wounds, an inquest opening has heard.

The body of Lilly Anne Jones was discovered in the Duffryn Park area of Blaina on June 22 after she was reported missing two days earlier.

An inquest opening at Gwent Coroner’s Court on Monday heard the 14-year-old was found with injuries to her chest and neck.

A 14-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court last month, accused of murdering Lilly.

Gwent Coroner’s Court heard Lilly, from Blaina, was reported missing from her home address on the evening of June 20.

She was discovered shortly after 10pm on June 22 in a woodland location near the bowls club with injuries to her chest and neck.

She was pronounced dead at 10.45pm, the court heard. Senior coroner Caroline Saunders said a post-mortem examination was conducted by Dr Richard Jones and provided a provisional cause of death.

She said: ‘The medical cause of death he has provided me with is 1A, multiple stab wounds to the neck and trunk. The matter will be adjourned so that further inquiries can be made.’

The coroner set a provisional inquest date of April 6, 2027.

Lilly was last seen in High Street, Blaina, at around 6.50pm on June 20. Parts of Pilgrims Park, which is adjacent to the A467 in Blaina, were cordoned off after her body was discovered.

Floral tributes were left close to the scene by members of the public. A 14-year-old boy charged with her murder, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at court on June 29.

Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, the Recorder of Cardiff, fixed a trial date beginning on November 23, which is due to last four weeks.

The youth, who did not enter a plea to the murder charge, was remanded into custody until his next court appearance.

The boy, from the Blaenau Gwent area of south-east Wales, was previously described by police as white British.

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