Police have launched an investigation after the death of a 17-year-old girl who had been reported missing just a day before. Catherine Blackhurst was confirmed as the teenager found at an address on Whalley Close in Ashton under Lyne on the morning of Sunday, 21 September.
Emergency services were called out around 9 am, but despite their efforts, Catherine could not be saved. Her family has since been informed, and officers say they are supporting them as they come to terms with the devastating loss.
Greater Manchester Police said a formal identification had taken place and that Catherine, who had been listed as a missing person on Saturday, 20 September, was the body discovered at the scene.
A Home Office post-mortem has already been carried out, but the cause of her death has not yet been established. Detectives confirmed that a 55-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the case. He has since been bailed while further enquiries continue.
Police stressed that the investigation is very much ongoing and that they are keeping an open mind. “Our investigation team is keeping an open mind and are following several lines of enquiry,” they said in a statement.
The news of Catherine’s death has shaken the local community, where many had been involved in the search for her after she was first reported missing. Tributes have begun to appear online, with people expressing shock and heartbreak over the sudden loss of someone so young.
As detectives continue to piece together what happened in the hours leading up to her death, officers are appealing for anyone with information that might help the investigation to come forward. For now, Catherine’s family are being left to grieve privately, supported by specialist officers.
The tragedy has left neighbours and friends in shock, with many still struggling to process how quickly events unfolded. One day Catherine was reported missing, and the next her life had come to such a sudden and devastating end.
The community remains on edge as police work to get answers, while Catherine’s family face the unimaginable pain of losing their daughter.
