‘Consistent with drowning’: Bombshell detail in autopsy results of Canadian teen found dead on K’gari as family receive preliminary results

The family of a Canadian backpacker who was found dead on a heritage-listed tourist destination in Queensland have been given the preliminary findings from her autopsy. The body of Piper James, 19, was found on Seventy Five Mile Beach on K’gari (Fraser Island) just after 5am on Monday. Friends of Ms James have revealed she had told them she was going for a swim about 5am that same morning. Two passers-by discovered Ms James’ body an hour later, surrounded by a pack of dingoes. The preliminary findings from Ms James’ autopsy have since been delivered to Ms James’ father Todd and his wife Angela, with the ABC reporting a preliminary assessment indicating the dingo bites found on her body were most likely sustained after her death. “The autopsy has found physical evidence consistent with drowning and injures consistent with dingo bites,” a spokesperson told the broadcaster. The ABC reports the spokesman said the pre-mortem dingo bite marks were not likely to have caused immediate death and there was no evidence any other person was involved. 9 News earlier reported the findings show evidence of fluid on the woman’s lungs, but how the fluid entered her body – whether through puncture wounds or via Ms James inhaling water – remains unclear. Further testing could take up to 2 months, 9 News reports. Speaking to 9News, Mr James said the family was “relieved” as the results meant her body could be released back to her family in Canada. He also said he and his wife had been invited to an Indigenous smoking ceremony to be held on K’gari, which he said they would be “honoured” to accept. Earlier in the week, the Coroner’s Court of Queensland said further scientific testing was required following the autopsy. “These further results and establishing the cause of death may take some time,” a spokesman said. “Family of the deceased have been kept up to date with the investigation. “The coronial investigation is ongoing, as such no further information can be provided at this time.” Police have confirmed Ms James’ body was “touched and interfered with” by dingoes but have not speculated on the cause of death. “We simply can’t confirm whether this young lady drowned or died as a result of being attacked by dingoes,” Wide Bay District Inspector Paul Algie said on Thursday. “K’gari is a wilderness area, dingoes are wild animals, and while they are very culturally and significant to the local First Nations people and to the people that live on the island, they are still wild animals and need to be treated as such.” He urged visitors to stay away from the protected species. “I implore all people that visit K’gari, which is a beautiful place, that you do not go near dingoes, that you do not feed dingoes and that you just leave them to live their life and you need to move around them accordingly,” Inspector Algie said.