Parents of Piper James, found dead surrounded by dingoes on K’gari, shattered by loss

By Lucy Loram, James C Taylor, Olivia Nunes-Malek and ABC staff

Todd James has paid tribute to his daughter on social media. Photo: Social media

The mother of Canadian woman Piper James, who was found dead surrounded by dingoes on an Australian beach, says her daughter was her best friend and her life will never be the same.

The 19-year-old was found on K’gari (Fraser Island) encircled by a pack of dingoes on Monday morning, after telling friends she was going for an early morning swim.

Police said she left for a swim about 5am and was found by two men driving on the island’s eastern beach about an hour and a half later.

Her mother, Angela James, said she believed her daughter had walked down to the sand to get reception to make a call with her friend’s phone because she had lost her phone days earlier.

“When I didn’t hear from her, I didn’t think anything of it. I knew she didn’t have a phone,” James told the ABC.

“That morning she borrowed her girlfriend’s phone to go down to the beach and they haven’t found her girlfriend’s phone.”

Arduous wait

Police said they could not confirm whether Piper drowned or died as a result of being attacked by a dingo until after an autopsy, which was expected to be carried out on Wednesday.

James said authorities told her the results could take up to seven days and she would wait for the news with her support network in the small town of Campbell River on Vancouver Island.

She said she learned of her daughter’s death from a friend, who wanted her to hear the news from someone she knew.

“When she arrived at the door she couldn’t really talk. She was crying so hard she couldn’t get any words out,” James said.

“Once I heard that Piper was not OK, I don’t clearly remember much after that. I remember just dropping to the floor and just screaming and just going into shock.”

Police say the woman’s body was surrounded by dingoes. Photo: ABC Wide Bay / James Taylor

Trip of a lifetime

James said she had thought she did not have anything to worry about when her daughter started planning an overseas trip.

“I said, ‘I don’t have to worry about it, the girl doesn’t even have a passport yet, she won’t get it together,'” James said.

“But she did, and she said, ‘See mum, I’m going.'”

She said Piper rode dirt bikes, rock climbed and worked as a firefighter in British Colombia before settling on Australia as her next adventure.

“We pushed her towards Australia thinking it would be one of the more safer places to go,” she said.

James said she saw her daughter grow once she started getting the hang of booking accommodation.

“She saw the AC/DC concert, which she said was the most amazing thing she’s ever seen, she went skydiving … thank God we got the video of her doing that,” she said.

Piper explored the country from Sydney to Cairns before returning south to K’gari for a six-week working stint, she said.

“She just had a lot of fun from the pictures we’ve seen.”

‘Courageous and strong’

Piper’s father, Todd James, said in a social media post that he would always remember his daughter’s “infectious laugh and her kind spirit”.

“I admired her strength and determination to go after her dreams,” he said.

“So many are going to miss you, my precious little baby girl. Maybe gone, but how can we ever forget you?”

The body of Piper James was found near the Maheno shipwreck on the eastern side of K’gari. Photo: ABC Wide Bay / James Taylor

James said she wanted to share her story because “it kinda helps to talk about it”.

“To share with the world how wonderful she was, because she was pretty darn wonderful, she was,” James said.

“She loved life, she was courageous and strong, and I know she fought to the end.

“She’s brave and I love her so much and my life will never be the same. She was my best friend.

“I just don’t know how I will find happiness again, but I have to for her, one day.”

Heightened concerns

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli acknowledged the tragedy of Piper’s death while on the “trip of a lifetime” and said he would wait for the cause of death to be confirmed before looking at the next steps.

Meanwhile at Eli Creek, a waterway just south of where Piper was found, visitors were cautious.

Tourist Clayton Neilson, who is on his first visit to K’gari, said Monday’s tragedy had made him more nervous being on the island.

“It’s definitely made us re-think the safety side of things,” he said.

“We are making sure if we are going to be separated, we are in those groups of two or more, and to read up more on dingo safety.”

Clayton Neilson says he has been reading up on dingo safety. Photo: ABC Wide Bay / James Taylor

Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour said yesterday that Piper’s death had affected the community.

“It’s very concerning. We’ve seen an increasing number of dingo attacks over the years, including increasing severity,” Cr Seymour said.

“We are watching this very closely.”

Queensland Parks and Wildlife rangers have increased patrols on the island since the death and have temporarily closed a campsite near where the incident occurred.

– ABC Sources: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/584635/parents-of-piper-james-found-dead-surrounded-by-dingoes-on-k-gari-shattered-by-loss