Police investigate cliff death of teen lost in Royal National Park

THE body of a teenager who went missing while bushwalking with her boyfriend was found at the bottom of a cliff in the Royal National Park.

THE body of a teenage girl who went missing while bushwalking with her boyfriend south of Sydney was yesterday found at the bottom of a cliff in the Royal National Park.

Shazia Edah-Tally, 19, went missing on Wednesday afternoon while bushwalking near Bundeena with her boyfriend of eight months.

Police are investigating the tragedy, which they believe occurred after the teenager became separated from her boyfriend and failed to return to a nominated meeting point on Wednesday night.

The man, whose name has not been released, raised the alarm at 5pm.

Shazia Edah-Tally’s boyfriend was questioned by police over events leading up to her death.

Tall cliffs of the Royal National Park.

A search of the Wedding Cake Rock track yesterday morning found Ms Edah-Tally’s badly broken body on rocks at the base of the 30m-high cliffs about 11am. She had been missing for 18 hours.

Tragically, as rescuers searched for the Baulkham Hills student, her mother said she had faith her daughter would come home.

“We want her to come home. I have faith that she will,” she said.

Less than an hour later, her daughter’s body was found on the rocks far below. The family were visibly distraught as they were taken away by a friend.

Inspector Steve Worthington from Sutherland Local Area Command said it was a tragic incident and a full investigation into how the woman died was already under way.

“PolAir located a body at the base of a steep cliff, along the coast track between the Water-Run and Wedding Cake Rock,” Insp Worthington said.

“The pair were going down this coast track. (They were) having some fun and running ahead of each other.

“The coastal track runs close along the cliff face. It’s a steep cliff in excess of 100ft in depth from top to bottom.”

Insp Worthington then added: “I’m not ruling it (foul play) in or out.”

Shazia Edah-Tally’s family leave Sutherland Police Station.

Rescuers commenced the search at first light yesterday, as police led Shazia’s boyfriend, dressed in a black hoodie, to a point along the trail where he last saw her.

Rescue crews winched the body out from the bottom of the cliff about 1pm.

The boyfriend was taken to Sutherland police station, where officers quizzed him about the incident.

Originally published as Police investigate cliff death of teen lost in Royal National Park