Mum’s heartbreaking tribute to tragic daughter, 14, found dead in river
Elisha Gault was last seen eight days ago in Carrick on Suir in Tipperary, Ireland
THE devastated mum of a 14-year-old girl whose body was found in a river has paid an emotional tribute to her "beautiful baby".
Elisha Gault was last seen eight days ago in Carrick on Suir in Tipperary, Ireland, at 10.15pm on St Patrick's Day.
A huge rescue mission was launched after she was reported missing.
Last night crews discovered the teenager's body in the River Suir around five miles from where she vanished.
Today Elisha's mum Grainne Gault wrote a heartbreaking tribute.
She posted a photo of her tragic daughter and the message: "My beautiful intelligent baby".
In an earlier post, she thanked those who helped in the search for Elisha since she was first reported missing.
She said: "Our baby girl has been recovered 😵😥😔, thank you all for your efforts in bringing her home to us, so we can now lay her to rest 💔**"
The search and rescue Coast Guard helicopter was on its way back to Waterford Airport from a routine call out when crew members saw a body floating in the water around after 6pm on Sunday evening.
Divers were called to the scene and recovered her body.
She was last seen alive at about 10.15pm on St Patrick’s night on Dillon Bridge in Carrick-on-Suir, heading towards the Carrickbeg area on the side of the town.
The body has been taken by helicopter to the University Hospital Waterford.
Family and friends have made numerous appeals over the last week for information on her whereabouts, while appeals were made directly to Elisha herself to contact her family or gardaí if she was alive.
She was described as being between 5’10” and 6’ in height with blue eyes and dyed blonde hair.
A family friend said that he couldn’t confirm the identify of the body found but said if it is Elisha Gault, “it gives a bit of closure to the family”.
Elisha is a pupil of Comeragh College in Carrick.
Her mother Grainne is originally from Belfast and the family lived for some time in Piltown, just over the Tipperary/Kilkenny border from Carrick-on-Suir, before moving to the town over a year ago.
Grainne Gault said on Friday on Facebook that the family were
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She said: "If you know of her whereabouts, tell her she isn’t in trouble, she won’t be forced to come home if she doesn’t want to, we just want to know she is safe and well and we can call off all the search efforts and myself, her daddy and her three sisters love her very much, no matter what."
The Irish police said in a statement: "The body of Elisha was discovered this evening the 25th March 2018 and has been taken to the mortuary in Waterford University Hospital.
"Gardai would like to thank all the volunteers and search agencies in the search for Elisha and also to the media in their coverage of the appeals for assistance."