Missing high school student drowned, police conclude

A missing young woman whose body was found in a river in Sichuan province on Tuesday died from drowning, local police confirmed on Thursday, officially ruling out homicide.

The 18-year-old high school student had been missing for a month before her body was discovered.

On Jan 7, police in Zizhong county received a report that a young woman surnamed Cao was in an abnormal mood and had exhibited suicidal tendencies, and her whereabouts were unknown, according to a police statement released on Thursday.

The police soon organized school staff members to look for Cao in the area around the river, where some of her belongings had been found.

On Tuesday afternoon, a body was found in a stretch of the Tuojiang River near a community in Zizhong. DNA testing and identification from family members confirmed that it was Cao, the statement said.

Through comprehensive investigation, autopsy and identification, police were able to rule out homicide and determined that Cao died from drowning.

Cao's family agreed with the investigation results, the statement said.