Girl's death in Inverness hospital grounds 'suspicious'

Police have launched an investigation into the suspicious death of a four-year-old girl whose body was found in the grounds of an Inverness hospital.

The child's body was found behind Raigmore Hospital at about 0300 GMT. The girl and a woman had been reported missing on Tuesday night.

Northern Constabulary said they were following a positive line of inquiry.

Cordons were placed in part of Raigmore Hospital grounds but the hospital remained fully open, officers said.

Northern Constabulary has uploaded a video appeal for information on social networking site Facebook and a request for help on Twitter.

Boiler suit

Acting Det Supt Gordon Greenlees said: "Police and forensic scientists are carrying out an examination at the rear of Raigmore hospital, and that area will remain cordoned off until that examination is complete.

"I can confirm that we are following a positive line of inquiry in relation to this death which is being treated as suspicious."

Officers have appealed for information from people who may have seen the woman and girl walking near the hospital between 1900 GMT on Tuesday and the early hours of Wednesday morning.

They had been visiting the hospital, but were not patients, police said. The pair were reported missing at 2200 GMT on Tuesday by a member of the public.

The woman was traced and the girl's body was found a short time later.

Northern Constabulary has also appealed for sightings of the woman, who was wearing a boiler suit, between Raigmore Hospital and the village of Balloch between 1900 GMT on Tuesday and 0300 GMT on Wednesday.