Missing Australian 18-year-old found dead after eight-day search
August 20, 2026 11:23 am
18-year-old Lily Hooper
Photo: NSW Police
The body of 18-year-old Lily Hooper has been found in bushland in New South Wales, Australia, eight days after she went missing during a hike in Nattai National Park.
Hooper left her home in Sydney on August 12 to go for a walk in the national park but failed to return by 22:00 that night, prompting her family to report her missing.
Her car was later found near a walking trail in the park.
A large multi-agency search was launched, involving NSW Police, the State Emergency Service, the Rural Fire Service, National Parks and Wildlife Service and Australian Defence Force personnel.
According to the BBC on Thursday, Police said Hooper’s body was located at about 11:30 local time on Thursday in dense bushland in the Southern Highlands. It was yet to be formally identified, but police said they believed it was that of the missing teenager.
The discovery was followed by confusion after New South Wales Premier Chris Minns initially told parliament that Hooper had been found alive.
“I’ve got some terrible news. I apologise … Lily’s body has been found,” Minns later told parliament after correcting his earlier statement.
Minns apologised for the error, saying: “This is obviously devastating, and I’m profoundly sad for her family and for all those concerned.”
He later said he had received incorrect information and had “genuinely believed” he was sharing good news.
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon also apologised to Hooper’s family for the miscommunication.
“The miscommunication obviously was born out of elation that Lily had been found,” Lanyon said.
“Tragically, that miscommunication then led to a deflation and obviously we know now, an impact on her family.”
Assistant Police Commissioner Joseph Cassar said Hooper’s parents were incorrectly led to believe their daughter had been found alive for between eight and 10 minutes before they were given an updated report.
“Unfortunately, it did take that small period of time for us to give them an update,” Cassar said.
Police said the terrain where Hooper was found was extremely difficult, and attempts to retrieve her body by helicopter were unsuccessful because of the dense canopy and surrounding terrain.
“We attempted to use a helicopter to retrieve her body. Due to the nature of the terrain and the canopy, we weren’t able to do that,” Lanyon said.
“So we’ll now work through a process, whether it’s manual or on foot, to retrieve her body … to bring her back to be with her family and go through the investigative process.”
A report will be prepared for the coroner as investigations into the circumstances surrounding Hooper’s death continue.
Gilbert Ekugbe is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over a decade of experience reporting on business and economic affairs. He covers markets, corporate developments, finance, and Nigeria’s broader economic landscape. His reporting is informed by extensive newsroom experience and a strong commitment to accuracy and responsible journalism, helping readers understand complex business issues.
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