Nine months after the death of nine-year-old Chantel Crump, her parents say they are still waiting for answers as investigators continue to rely on overseas forensic testing to determine how the child died.
The family has been told that the results of a second autopsy are now in the possession of police but will not be released until the next court hearing, expected in February. Requests by the parents to access the findings earlier have been denied, prolonging what they describe as an agonizing wait for clarity.
Local pathologists were unable to establish a cause of death during the initial post-mortem, which was ruled inconclusive. As a result, key samples and toxicology evidence were sent abroad for advanced analysis. Additional testing was ordered weeks later after no clear signs of strangulation, drowning, sexual assault, or visible injuries were found.
Chantel, a Grade Four student at Five Islands Primary School, was taken from near her home in Grace Farm on March 12, 2025. Her body was discovered more than 48 hours later in bushes at Weather Hills. A 20-year-old woman, Angela Mejia, has been charged with murder and has appeared twice in court.
Although Chantel was buried in June, her family and community remain without closure as the investigation continues, with many still seeking definitive answers about the circumstances surrounding her death.
