UK - Gaia Pope, 19, found deceased, Swanage, Dorset, 7 Nov 2017 #2

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LucyRocket said:
Hi flute. Yes, the nature of my work has me covering a lot of areas! I manage support services for vulnerable adults. This includes 24 hour supported living for adults with disabilities, which is where my medical training is from. Many of the people we support have epilepsy, so I have a broad knowledge of epilepsy management. Many years ago, the police contacted me to ask if I would work with a family where the child had been murdered. The family had had previous dealings with the police, and would not work with them. The police employed me, really in what would be considered a FLO role I suppose, duties-wise. We eventually managed to secure a murder conviction in the case, and the police nominated me for 2 awards. Since then, whenever they have a missing/murdered child and I guess a tricky case surrounding it in some way, they contact me to come in and work with the family. In a nutshell
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Bless you for the work you do. No doubt you have affected many lives! (And thanks for answering my question :) )

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Hello to Elainera, thank you for your kind comment.She is always watched, mostly discreetly as you don't want her to think she's being watched. You look out for minor signs such as talking gibberish, muttering gobbledygook. That's the sign things are not right. Sometimes it passes over, even tho it could be momentarily she often then wants to sleep. I liken it to when hypnotist clicks his fingers then says "and sleep!" Because that's exactly what she does. But she never remembers it happened. Sometimes they are very subtle hardly noticeable one Happened on a bus ride. She went to get off her friend said "hey where you going?" She said "it's our stop" friend said "no we've got ages yet", and had to persuade her to stay on. She does try and do most things but you don't know in advance if you're going to have a good seizure free day until it's ended, then you think today was a good day. We do a lot of finger crossing but even cinema, meals out, the beach, Theme park rides. Horse riding, ice skating are all things she loves to do but she has to be watched, and some are absolutely not worth the worry like swimming. At times she sticks two fingers up to epilepsy and says to hell with it "I'm not missing out! I'm going on that Big Wheel at the Christmas winter wonderland, my friends are going on and so am I".
Things many of us take for granted.
 
evans242 said:
Hello to Elainera, thank you for your kind comment.She is always watched, mostly discreetly as you don't want her to think she's being watched. You look out for minor signs such as talking gibberish, muttering gobbledygook. That's the sign things are not right. Sometimes it passes over, even tho it could be momentarily she often then wants to sleep. I liken it to when hypnotist clicks his fingers then says "and sleep!" Because that's exactly what she does. But she never remembers it happened. Sometimes they are very subtle hardly noticeable one Happened on a bus ride. She went to get off her friend said "hey where you going?" She said "it's our stop" friend said "no we've got ages yet", and had to persuade her to stay on. She does try and do most things but you don't know in advance if you're going to have a good seizure free day until it's ended, then you think today was a good day. We do a lot of finger crossing but even cinema, meals out, the beach, Theme park rides. Horse riding, ice skating are all things she loves to do but she has to be watched, and some are absolutely not worth the worry like swimming. At times she sticks two fingers up to epilepsy and says to hell with it "I'm not missing out! I'm going on that Big Wheel at the Christmas winter wonderland, my friends are going on and so am I".
Things many of us take for granted.
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I do understand! My friend lost his sister when she was 20. She had a 5 month old and was 7 weeks pregnant with #2. She had been seizure free for YEARS!
SO FREE, that no one ever told her husband about how serious a prolonged seizure could be OR what to do in the event that she had one.
Sadly the stress of a full time job with a new baby and trying to grow another life was too much for her small body.
I was pregnant at the time and as bad as it sounds I couldn't bring myself to go to her funeral.
GO was easily on overload to say the least.
My heart breaks for her family and friends.
I am convinced it was a culmination of everything going on in her life that proved to be more than she could handle.

MOO
 
Wow, after reading all through, I really don't know what to think.

On one hand, accidental or "misadventure" seems entirely plausible: it appears as though she was having mental health problems, and if that, combined with epilepsy (exacerbated by stress?) resulted in her running off in confusion, then dying from either a fit or hypothermia, or a combination of the two, is very much likely. I can completely believe all I've read about epilepsy on here, and it's evident from her Instagram that she was not in a happy place mentally; the two together could well make for a tragic accident/misadventure.

On the other hand, the reactions of the E family seem odd, not so much choice of wording (I'm a master at choosing my words badly so can easily understand the odd thing that sounds a bit "off"), although I do find RD's wording to be rather lacking in concern for her young friend, but PE disappearing and then conveniently reappearing right as the clothes were found (possibly after not being seen by a search in the same area?), GE seeming to expect her to be dead before she was found, and above all, why would the police go as far as arresting three people on suspicion of murder so early, if they had no cause for suspicion? I would think that questioning RD without arrest would have been sufficient, unless the E family was being obstructive? It also sounded from some wording in newspaper quotes as though there was bad history between the families, maybe completely irrelevant.

But then, the lack of obvious wounds leads more back to misadventure. I find myself going round in circles, as the E family seem suspicious, although perhaps much of that is GE not knowing when to shut up; he talks about mud sticking, but he has caused much of the mud by protesting so loudly and making sure his family name is very much in the press. If they are completely innocent then I have a lot of sympathy for them... but, it seems very odd at present.

Some random things on my mind:

- It would be very helpful to know more about what happened before Gaia went to RD's flat. She was either in a car with a relative (who?), or at her aunt's house, she might have had a spat on Facebook, or she might have just run off... knowing what led her to RD and her state of mind when last seen by her own family would be a big help. Potentially that might explain the police interest in the E family, however (FB spat involving one of them?), so maybe that's why it's being kept quiet.

- It seems there's a lot of local dynamics that only small hints are reaching us via the press, the comments in one article where neighbours said they try to avoid the E's for example, GE stating that PE "couldn't stand" Gaia, NE being a former friend, no longer having any contact. Were Gaia's suggestions of people being "pedos" (I think we're allowed to refer to the victim's own social media, right?) connected to the E's, to entirely separate people, or just plain paranoia from her clear mental health issues? I know, that can't be answered without going into "rumour" territory!

- The blue shirt, when she was described as wearing red. Unless either she changed at her aunt's house, or whoever (not RD) last saw her thought she was wearing red but couldn't see underneath the big coat? I doubt it would have been so clearly stated as red if nobody was sure though?

I guess I remain on the fence and thoroughly puzzled! Also very sad for poor Gaia at how much she's had to go through over time, no matter what happened in the end, it must have been a very scary ending for her, I only hope she knew little about it.
 
Where is the reference to a blue shirt that a couple of posters have mentioned?
 
squareishpeg said:
No, no - that's not what I mean at all - It's not as though I'd be "happy," so to speak, if toxicology would reveal that there was foul play involved, but idk, I jus really hate to think that she took her own life. Really, I didn't phrase my response well an I do apologize.
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I don't think it was murder or suicide.
Her state of mind may have contributed to her demise, but everything points to death by misadventure: a result of her epilepsy, drugs or medication (or lack of), hypothermia or a combination of any of these factors.
 
Cherwell said:
Where is the reference to a blue shirt that a couple of posters have mentioned?
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7077326
 
evans242 said:
Hello to Elainera, thank you for your kind comment.She is always watched, mostly discreetly as you don't want her to think she's being watched. You look out for minor signs such as talking gibberish, muttering gobbledygook. That's the sign things are not right. Sometimes it passes over, even tho it could be momentarily she often then wants to sleep. I liken it to when hypnotist clicks his fingers then says "and sleep!" Because that's exactly what she does. But she never remembers it happened. Sometimes they are very subtle hardly noticeable one Happened on a bus ride. She went to get off her friend said "hey where you going?" She said "it's our stop" friend said "no we've got ages yet", and had to persuade her to stay on. She does try and do most things but you don't know in advance if you're going to have a good seizure free day until it's ended, then you think today was a good day. We do a lot of finger crossing but even cinema, meals out, the beach, Theme park rides. Horse riding, ice skating are all things she loves to do but she has to be watched, and some are absolutely not worth the worry like swimming. At times she sticks two fingers up to epilepsy and says to hell with it "I'm not missing out! I'm going on that Big Wheel at the Christmas winter wonderland, my friends are going on and so am I".
Things many of us take for granted.
Click to expand...

I'm so sorry your daughter, you, and your family have to deal with such an awful, scary condition. I can't even imagine.

Thank you also for enlightening us about epilepsy. I wrongly assumed most cases could be very well controlled with medication, but now I know that is not the case, sadly. I can't even imagine the anxiety and anguish it brings to it's sufferers and their loved ones.


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I think it's just a very sad result of a young girl suffering from intense anxiety and debilitating epilepsy :( I don't think Gaia commited suicide.

I feel for her family and friends and also for the Elsey family who have been through the mill too. I also regret jumping to conclusions and suspecting PE / RD of anything untoward.

RIP Gaia, hope you're at peace now beautiful girl.
 
Running and removing clothing are things I have seen in people suffering a breakdown. I know of a bipolar person who removes clothing when they reach a sectionable state. Some people run when very stressed. Gaia was very stressed, already feeling hot. She was clearly unwell and known to have increasingly severe epilepsy that could leave her confused.
I
I think she may have been pretty ill prior to visiting Mrs Dinch, but that this lady did not understand how ill Gaia was. I do wonder why she didn't contact Gaia's family or the police if she was talking "broken biscuits."

However, it can be quite hard to know what to do or realise how ill someone is.

Gaia's coat was at the house. She waa last seen at the house and had some kind of relationship with the grandson. Then Gaia disappeared.

I can see why the suspects were arrested. However, personally, I think the problem lies more in the fact that those who were with Gaia that day did not realise how much her already. fragile mental state was deteriorating.

For now, I am going with the theory Gaia passed away from the effects of combined, severe epilepsy, stress and PTSD.

I think her references to being "shut up" refer either to a fear the men who assaulted her would come after her, or to a fear of being sectioned and ending up in an isolation room.

Sadly, I think Gaia was confused, fitting, in a state of extreme mental distress on a slippery cliff top.

It could be she had a fit near where the clothes were found. Removed them while confused, wandered on and then her body finally defeated her.

My question is not who harmed her, but why she was allowed to wander on without any help being sought for her. That said, it can be difficult to tell how severe someone's mental state is becoming.
 
Jackalyn said:
Running and removing clothing are things I have seen in people suffering a breakdown. I know of a bipolar person who removes clothing when they reach a sectionable state. Some people run when very stressed. Gaia was very stressed, already feeling hot. She was clearly unwell and known to have increasingly severe epilepsy that could leave her confused.
I
I think she may have been pretty ill prior to visiting Mrs Dinch, but that this lady did not understand how ill Gaia was. I do wonder why she didn't contact Gaia's family or the police if she was talking "broken biscuits."

However, it can be quite hard to know what to do or realise how ill someone is.

Gaia's coat was at the house. She waa last seen at the house and had some kind of relationship with the grandson. Then Gaia disappeared.

I can see why the suspects were arrested. However, personally, I think the problem lies more in the fact that those who were with Gaia that day did not realise how much her already. fragile mental state was deteriorating.

For now, I am going with the theory Gaia passed away from the effects of combined, severe epilepsy, stress and PTSD.

I think her references to being "shut up" refer either to a fear the men who assaulted her would come after her, or to a fear of being sectioned and ending up in an isolation room.

Sadly, I think Gaia was confused, fitting, in a state of extreme mental distress on a slippery cliff top.

It could be she had a fit near where the clothes were found. Removed them while confused, wandered on and then her body finally defeated her.

My question is not who harmed her, but why she was allowed to wander on without any help being sought for her. That said, it can be difficult to tell how severe someone's mental state is becoming.
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This is where I am now too. I feel terribly sorry for the family but who was looking out for her?
 
I agree with Jackalyn. The only thing sticking in my mind was the arguments and RD not phoning an ambulance, she sad she 'didn't have a siezure' but it seems most people are not aware of the different types of seizures and the behaviour they can cause. The arguing can be explained by Gaia not being in a good state mentally.
 
I don't know if anyone has linked to this article;

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4949365/gaia-pope-death-latest-post-mortem-not-murdered/

"Her dad Richard Sutherland revealed Gaia, who suffered from epilepsy, was agonised by the assault by the group of men when she was 17.
It is understood the fiends were jailed but traumatised Gaia believed the ringleader was due for release — and feared she would come face-to-face with him again.
Richard, 57, said: “This had a devastating effect. I think this had been coming back into her head. She was scared, confused.”Her older sister Clara Pope- Sutherland confirmed on Facebook she was living in fear “the abuser would be released from jail”.Gaia's aunt, Hannah Sutherland, told the Daily Mail: "There was a traumatic incident a couple of years ago and some people were convicted – not for that incident, but there was a conviction.
"And because of her epilepsy, prior to a seizure she could get very anxious and that was apparently part of what came out as some of the anxiety.
"She was anxious there could potentially be some parole or something coming up."
Gaia's behaviour had become increasingly erratic in the days leading up to her disappearance and she had shown up the home of her friend’s grandmother in a “distressed and agitated state”.
 
Rosegold68 said:
thats a hard mix of prescription drugs.....how do you get that right? (schizophrenia and epilepsy)

add in in rec drugs, maybe? thats a big accident waiting to happen.
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I'll admit, I'm just catching up on posts but ... schizophrenia!? Has this been announced?

Unless it has then ... and someone saying she was "seriously mentally disturbed" ???
That's strong wording!
 
SiSi said:
7077326
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If this photograph is the only mention of a blue shirt, I'm not sure we can conclude that the blue item belonged to Gaia. I don't think it's likely to be a "live" photo of the police retrieving the clothing.
 
http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/ne...sed_from_investigation_with_no_further_action

Detective Superintendent Paul Kessell, of Dorset Police’s Major Crime Investigation Team, said: “Following the results of the post-mortem examination and other ongoing investigative enquiries, we have concluded that no one else was involved in Gaia’s death.

“As such we have today, Monday 20 November, released from our investigation two men aged 19 and 49 and a 71-year-old woman, all from Swanage, who had been arrested and were assisting with our enquiries.

More at link.




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