Body Found in River Identified as Missing 11-Year-Old Girl Kaliyah Coa: 'She Will Be Missed So Much'
Kaliyah Coa's cause of death was ruled to be a result of the cold water of the River Thames
She is now believed to have entered the river in search of a lost shoe
Her parents said that they would "never be the same" after her deathA body found in the River Thames in April has been identified as belonging to missing 11-year-old girl Kaliyah Coa, according to police in London.
Coroner Graeme Irvine told the BBC that Coa's cause of death was the cold water of the River Thames. "The effect of being in cold water would have caused unconsciousness and death relatively swiftly," Irvine told the outlet.
An inquest into Coa's death began on Friday, May 2, at East London Coroner's Court, where coroner Irvine explained he was required to have a hearing because her cause of death was "unnatural." Authorities believe Coa entered the river to recover a lost shoe near North Woolwich, U.K..
Coa's family said in a statement to the BBC that they would "never be the same."
"We were blessed to have Kaliyah, even if it was for such a short time," they said. "She will be missed so much. Kaliyah went to a birthday party and never returned home to her family."
"This tragic accident took away a little girl who was loved by many. Our specialist officers will continue to support Kaliyah's family as they process this heartbreaking news," Detective Superintendent Scott Ware said in a statement, per Sky News.
"I echo her family's request for privacy while they navigate the difficult road ahead, and urge the public to refrain from wholly inaccurate speculation both on and offline," Ware continued.
The tragic news came almost a month after a body was discovered in Maritime Quay on the morning of April 13, two weeks after Coa went missing.
'The body is yet to be formally identified. However, the family of Kaliyah Coa have been informed of this development and are being supported by specialist officers," the Metropolitan Police said in a statement at the time, while asking for privacy for the girl's family.
On the day Kaliyah went missing, she was off from school, according to police, who previously said she entered the water near the Barge House Causeway.
Two children were seen at the scene trying to get help, according to a witness.
"Then they said 'one of my friends was playing in the water, one of my friends has gone into water and she's gone underneath and we can't find her,' " Shaleen Rajaendram told the BBC.
Emergency service crews arrived at the scene immediately and began widespread search efforts. A woman said that Kaliyah's socks, shoes and coat near the scene — and told London Evening Standard as well as the BBC that the young girl may have been "paddling," or walking barefoot in shallow water.
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Throughout the search, Chief Superintendent Dan Card said authorities remained "committed to finding Kaliyah and are working with partners to conduct a thorough search over a wide area – utilizing drone technology and boats."
Additionally, Card said that they would be "supporting Kaliyah's family through this deeply upsetting time and our thoughts go out to all those impacted by what has happened."
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