Family 'shattered' as teen backpacker's body found surrounded by dingoes in Australian outback

Joe Harker
2026-01-21T16:15:51.886Z
News

Piper James had told her family that they 'can’t stop me' from going travelling

The parents of a Canadian teen have broken their silence after their teenage daughter's body was found on a beach in Australia.

Piper James was found dead on a beach on the Australian island of K'gari this Monday (19 January). She had left home to go backpacking around the world.

Queensland Police announced they had been called to the beach at around 6:35 local time on Monday (19 January) to attend reports of an unresponsive woman, and said she was declared dead a short time later. According to the BBC, two men had been driving along the beach when they spotted a pack of around 10 dingoes surrounding something. Thye soon realised it was a person.

Police have not yet confirmed the cause of her death, but police inspector Paul Algie told local media they were not sure whether she had drowned or been attacked by the animals.

He did say there were marks on her body 'consistent with having been touched and interfered with by the dingoes' and that it was 'a very traumatic and horrific scene for them to uncover'.

Piper James pictured with her father Todd (Facebook/Todd James)

Police also said the woman had been working at a backpacker's hostel for six weeks, and told friends she was going for a 5am swim.

The Mirror reports that her family said Piper had told them 'I’m 18, and you can’t stop me' before she left her home country to go backpacking.

Her dad Todd James said he would remember his daughter's 'infectious laugh and her kind spirit'.

He penned a touching tribute, saying: "Our hearts are shattered as we share the tragic loss of our beautiful daughter, Piper.

"I admired her strength and determination to go after her dreams.

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

Two men had been driving along the beach when they found her body surrounded by dingoes (Arterra/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Piper's mother Angela said her daughter had been 'having the trip of her life'.

"She was very adventurous. She loved motocross. She loved camping, she loved swimming, and she loved surfing. She wanted to learn to surf," the mum said and explained she last spoke to her daughter on Saturday.

Angela said that her daughter had told her parents she loved them and was 'thankful for everything they had done'.

Queensland premier David Crisafulli said an investigation into Piper's death was underway and there would be an autopsy, while acknowledging how difficult this was for her family.

He said: "We’ve got to acknowledge that a young woman, in the prime of her life, has lost her life.

"19 years of age, and doing what she loved, on a trip of a lifetime - and to not go home to her family is really tough."

If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email info@grievewell.com.