Nora Quoirin’s family lawyer has said criminality should not be ruled out over her death after police said an autopsy showed no foul play.
Charles Morel said the 15-year-old’s parents Sebastian, 47, and Belfast woman Meabh, 45, found it “difficult to understand” that she would leave a Malaysian resort alone.
Her bruised, naked body was found on Tuesday in a jungle ravine previously searched during the 10-day hunt for her.
Mr Morel said Nora’s brain disability, holoprosencephaly, made her shy and “dependent on her mother”.
He said: “It’s not in her temperament to go out in the night after a long trip in a place she doesn’t know, in the jungle.
“Even the place where she was found, 2km from the resort, it’s very strange that she could go there by herself alone, so we cannot exclude the criminal hypothesis.”
The Paris-based lawyer added: “In view of the importance of Malaysia’s image for tourism, the authorities may tend to favour the theory of a disappearance.”
Malaysian police made their claim after a postmortem examination observed by a National Crime Agency officer as well as French and Irish police found Nora died after suffering intestinal bleeding, probably caused by starvation and stress.
Police chief Datuk Mohamad Mat Yusop said: “There were no signs of rape. Bruises on her legs do not indicate foul play.”
Nora and her family, from Balham, South-West London, were staying at the luxury Dusun Rainforest Resort when she went missing on August 4. The family are waiting to hear whether Malaysia’s Attorney General will order an inquest.
Her uncle Pacome, a graphic designer, said they remained “very dubious”.
