Gold Coast police investigate the sudden death of toddler in Mermaid Beach
Police have issued an update into the sudden death of a baby girl on the Gold Coast earlier this month. Find out more.
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Police are not treating the sudden death of a baby girl on the Gold Coast earlier this month as suspicious, they have revealed.
Police were called to a Mermaid Beach apartment about 8am on Tuesday, May 9 after two-year-old Valentina Rose Jessep was found dead.
Detectives and forensic officers were spotted at the Peerless Ave high rise.
On Thursday police issued a short statement updating the investigation.
“Following the post mortem the death is not being treated as suspicious at this time however detectives from the Gold Coast Child Protection Investigation Unit are continuing to investigate and prepare a report for the Coroner,” the statement said.
After the toddler’s death, Valentina’s father, Harley Jessep, took to social media to express his heartache.
“You have touched so many hearts,” he wrote above a photo of him and his daughter,” he wrote.
“I just want you to know that daddy loves you so so much and I will always be blessed to have been you’re father … you changed my life baby girl.
“God must of needed you more than us, you’re mother and I will always remember and cherish you’re beautiful little soul princess. I love you to the f … ng moon and back.
“Please rest easy my angel.”
May 10: Police reveal next steps in toddler death probe
Police have revealed the next steps of an investigation into a toddler’s sudden death at a Gold Coast high-rise.
A crime scene was declared at the Bela by Mosaic building on Peerless Ave, Mermaid Beach after a two-year-old girl was found dead about 8am Tuesday.
On Wednesday, police said they were awaiting the results of a post-mortem into the cause of the toddler’s death.
“(The results) will determine the direction of the investigation,” a police spokeswoman said.
According to Queensland Health, results from a post-mortem or autopsy can sometimes take up to six weeks.
Sources have said it could be months before it is determined if the death was suspicious.
A number of marked and unmarked police cars were at the scene on Tuesday.
A forensic police officer was spotted removing empty paper evidence bags and other equipment from a truck before returning to the high-rise.
Detectives were spotted outside the building earlier in the day.
They were seen leaving the high-rise about 11.40am with a number a brown paper evidence bags.
They then left the scene.
A Bela by Mosaic resident said there was police “everywhere” inside the building but he did not know what floor they were concentrating on.
Lachlan Thompson, who lives in a unit complex across from the high-rise, said he came back from the gym to find four police wagons in his street.
“There was not too much commotion but there were around 10 policemen,” he said.
He said he did not know what had happened until a friend sent him the news reports.
“It’s concerning something like that is happening in such a busy area,” he said.
Mr Thompson said he had never seen police in the street before.
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