The body of 18-year-old Lily Hooper had been found in bushland in New South Wales, Australia, more than a week after she went missing while hiking.
The discovery was marred by a tragic miscommunication that briefly gave her family false hope.
NSW Premier Chris Minns apologized following the announcement that Hooper had been “found alive” during a parliamentary hearing on Thursday, August 20, 2026.
However, a moment later, he corrected himself, confirming: “It seems as if the earlier advice was wrong.”
Police have since revealed that they found a body suspected to belong to Hooper in Nattai National Park, which is located south of Sydney.
Hooper is said to have gone missing last week after her car was found left behind close to the Bonnum Pic Walking Trail. A large-scale operation to find Hooper was conducted using approximately 100 members from the Australian Defense Force and 200 search party members.
Assistant Police Commissioner Joseph Cassar has not addressed the reason why Hooper’s parents initially believed that their daughter was alive. They thought so for approximately “eight to 10 minutes” before receiving the devastating correction.
The police confirmed that the body is “yet to be formally identified”; it is believed to be that of the 18-year-old woman. The exact cause of death has also not been identified.
2026-08-20 17:51:00
