Found Deceased GUATEMALA - Catherine Shaw, 23, British backpacker, 4 March 2019

There will almost certainly be an inquest in the UK.

 

Any Spanish speakers here? Autopsy results published:

“According to data from Inacif, the cause of death was due to "subarachnoid hemorrhage resulting from a cranioencephalic trauma with an estimated death time of four to six days".” (Google translation)

Inacif revela causa de muerte de Catherine Shaw » República.gt

So a traumatic head injury?

 

Yep, banged her head I reckon

 

Was she truly found facedown in a cavern? (I read that recently but cannot find now.) If true, how would that jell with a fall of 60? feet?

 

Yesterday it was reported that she fell 60 feet. Today it is reported that she fell 300 feet. At this time, I think it is simply unknown how far she fell. Either fall would result in a pretty serious head injury and death.


Ref: Daily Mail linked upthread

 

OMG does this mean she was possibly alive for quite some time after the trauma occurred? Hopefully she was not conscious.

ETA: or does it mean she died 4-6 days ago?

 

I'm working on translating the autopsy but here is the article:

The identity of the young woman was confirmed by a forensic Corporal Anthropometry.

The samples collected during the necropsy process will be sent immediately to the criminology laboratories to deepen the investigation.

Shaw, 23, was last seen on March 5 when she was leaving the hotel Eco Mayachik. By not returning, began the search with the support of several organizations. Her body was found last Monday.

The samples collected during the necropsy process will be sent immediately to the crime labs for Delve into research.

We know that CATHERINE was fasting during the days prior to her disappearance and had been throwing away possessions, including clothing. She was a lover of nature and sunrises, so it seems possible that she has climbed the mountain and because of the lack of food has fallen ",

Family members also asked to stop sharing the young lady's photograph as it only aggravated her pain.

Because the process is under investigation there are not many elements to give, but if we are sure that in a short time we will have information about them," Degenhart said.

The samples collected during the process of the Necropsy will be sent immediately to the criminology labs to deepen the investigation.

Inacif revela causa de muerte de Catherine Shaw » República.gt

 

I hope it means she died 6 days ago, instantly, after falling on the morning she disappeared. No doubt tox reports will show drugs of some kind. I hope this goes down as accidental death, not suicide or murder. Will be interesting to see if a UK post mortem shows any different.

 

Does anyone know how and where she was found? I had read she was found facedown in a cavern. If true, how could she fall into a cavern?

 

What are the three people in the middle looking at? Is it the puppy?

 

I think it means that she died 4-6 days ago. She was last seen on March 5. Six days later is March 11. It makes sense that she died at the time of the fall.

 

I hope so too!

I'm sure @Bugurl747 will be able to tell us more soon.

 

Good eye!
Sure looks like it

 

Exactly. I am fluent in both English and Spanish. For now everything written in the report points to a fall but they are still investigating various things.

 

Autopsy: Tourist died of traumatic brain injury in Guatemala

QUETZALTENANGO, Guatemala (AP) — An English tourist whose body was found near a Guatemala highland lake popular with travelers died of hemorrhaging resulting from a traumatic brain injury, according to an autopsy report completed Tuesday.

In a statement, the National Institute of Forensic Sciences of Guatemala also said 23-year-old Catherine Shaw had died four to six days earlier.

In the preliminary findings, there are no wounds from bullets or sharp weapons,” Miguel Angel Samayoa told The Associated Press. “There are blows to the body.”

Neither Samayoa nor the institute said what might have caused the trauma.

 

Assume that sending the report to the crime lab is standard procedure and no indication that foul play is suspected?

I could not find any details on how busy this trail is but surprising that no one put two and two together and informed the authorities of a puppy running around what looks like a pretty organised lookout point. Perhaps not such an unusual occurrence..

 

Thanks zecats for posting this. So she did not linger and suffer, or maybe just hours, and succumbed quickly.

Sounds like a fall to me.

I hope her parents can find a tiny bit of relief. I feel so sad for them. What a tragic nightmare.

 

BBC is reporting that Catherine's death was due to a "tragic accident."

Missing Briton died in 'tragic accident'

 

Translated to the best of my ability:

The National Institute of Forensic Sciences of Guatemala, as a responsible entity of the forensic scientific investigation and that contributes with the clearing up of criminal Facts hereby informs that:

On Monday 11 March 2019 was received at the expert headquarters of Quetzaltenango the corpse of a female whose identity had not been confirmed in order of the District Prosecutor of the Public Ministry which instructed the realization of the medical necropsy legal for To establish cause of death as well as the taking of corporal samples that can be useful in the criminal investigation process.

INACIF performed the necropsy implementing the Manual Necroidentification and the procedure of necropsy with a female gender approach which responds to the need to give a treatment specialized towards the criminal investigation processes Forensics in women.

The necropsy procedure concludes the 10:30 hours on Tuesday 12 March of the current year. It was determined as a cause of death *Subarachnoid hemorrhage derived from a head or brain trauma with estimated time of death from four to six days.

It also applied the Corporal Anthropometry forensic and other procedures with which it could individualize and establish the identity of the victim as: Catherine Jane Shaw 23 years old.

All the samples collected during the necropsy process will be sent immediately to the laboratory of criminology of the central INACIF in order to deepen the criminal investigation and to collaborate with the prosecutor responsible of the investigation.


INACIF is waiting for the prosecutor to forward the evidence collected in the prosecution of the crime scene for the realization of forensic analysis.


https://republica.gt/2019/03/12/inacif-catherine-shaw/

 

Most respectfully ...
What a bizarre way to go! Nude, worshipping the sun, toppled off a cliff and solved by a stray puppy.