Eleven-year-old Miya Deamer-Jones, the youngest of four sisters, lived in the Worcestershire village of Elmley Castle. She was reported missing from her home at around 11:20 p.m. on Sunday, 4 October 2026. Her body was found shortly afterward in an open space near the cricket ground. West Mercia Police conducted extensive enquiries and concluded there was no evidence of suspicious circumstances or third-party involvement. The death is not being treated as a criminal investigation. A full file is being prepared for HM Coroner.

Chief Inspector Daniel Pilkington stated that officers had kept an open mind, examined every line of enquiry, and worked tirelessly. He urged the public not to speculate or share unverified information, noting that doing so could cause additional distress to a family already living through every parent’s worst nightmare. Specially trained officers are supporting the family.

Miya had been spending time with a friend before they went to the cricket field. She failed to return home. The family searched the village themselves before contacting police. She was a pupil at Bredon Hill Academy in the neighbouring village of Ashton under Hill. Local residents reported hearing sirens in the late evening. Flowers, including sunflowers, were later left near the scene.

Friends described Miya as a precious little girl deeply loved by her mother, Katie Jones, and her three sisters. Her place in the family can never be filled. The family had already lost Miya’s father three years earlier. A childhood friend of Katie’s launched a GoFundMe appeal to help cover funeral costs and provide a permanent memorial. The organiser wrote that a mother should never have to arrange a funeral for her child or worry about finding money for a gravestone while processing such a loss. The appeal described the situation as every parent’s worst nightmare and noted that Miya would be remembered as beautiful and loved. It closed with the statement that Miya was loved, is loved, and will never be forgotten. The appeal raised thousands of pounds quickly as the village and wider community responded.

Residents expressed shock that an 11-year-old who left home in the evening was found ᴅᴇᴀᴅ so close by, with no indication of foul play. The sudden discovery, the police confirmation that the case is not criminal, the family’s prior bereavement, and the speed of the community fundraising have resonated beyond Worcestershire. The coroner will examine the circumstances in due course. Police have reiterated that the family needs privacy and support while the formal process continues.

Miya’s mother has shared the fundraising link. The appeal notes the financial pressure that can accompany the arrangement of a funeral and a lasting memorial at the same time a mother is confronting the permanent absence of her youngest daughter. The village of Elmley Castle has been described as close-knit; the response to Miya’s death has illustrated that description through both the initial searches by family and neighbours and the subsequent public support for the fundraiser.