A Queensland coroner has confirmed that Canadian backpacker Piper James died as a result of drowning following a dingo attack on K'gari (formerly Fraser Island) in January. The 19-year-old's cause of death was determined by a forensic pathologist and accepted by the investigating coroner.
According to a spokesperson for the Queensland Coroners Court, Piper died from drowning in the setting of multiple injuries due to, or as a consequence of, a dingo attack. The investigation into her death is ongoing, and no further details can be provided at this time.
Piper's body was found on a beach on the world heritage-listed island on 19 January after she went for a solo morning swim. An earlier autopsy revealed physical evidence consistent with drowning and injuries consistent with dingo bites. Pre-mortem bite marks were not likely to have caused immediate death, but there were extensive post-mortem dingo bite marks. No evidence of any other person's involvement was found.
Piper's parents, Todd and Angela, visited K'gari last month to return their daughter's remains to Canada. They participated in a traditional smoking ceremony conducted by the Butchulla traditional owners near the SS Maheno wreck where Piper was found. Her father expressed a desire to walk where she last walked and feel her spirit.
Following the incident, the Queensland government announced the euthanasia of the entire pack of 10 dingoes linked to the attack, a decision experts warned could lead to an extinction vortex for the island's genetically distinct dingo population. Environment Minister Andrew Powell described it as a tough but necessary decision in the public interest. However, Piper's mother stated that killing the dingoes is the last thing her daughter would have wanted, as she loved all animals.
