Devon and Cornwall Police has confirmed they have made a mandatory referral to police watchdogs, explaining there had been “prior police contact” with the deceased woman found in a caravan in Tamerton Foliot, believed to be missing person Lacey Lake.
The 24-year-old was reported missing late on January 6 but was deemed a medium risk by the force. A search of a caravan on the afternoon of January 7 at the rear of Linton Close resulted in police and paramedics being called to the scene.
Later police released a statement saying they were called at around 1.20pm following “concerns for the welfare of a woman” at that location.
The statement went on to say paramedics pronounced the woman deceased and her death was being treated as “unexplained although not currently believed suspicious”.
The force added: “The family of 24-year-old Lacey Lake who was reported missing on Monday 6 January have been informed. Formal identification has yet to be carried out.”
This afternoon the force stated: “As the death is currently being treated as non-suspicious we will not be releasing anything further at this time. A file is being prepared for HM Coroner.
“Devon and Cornwall Police has made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct [IOPC] due to prior police contact with the deceased woman. We await the outcome of the referral.”
Police have not yet stated whether a post mortem has taken place.
According to the IOPC website: “A death or serious injury, which may have occurred as a result of police contact, is one of the mandatory referral criteria. A DSI cannot be referred voluntarily.
“The definition of a DSI does not require there to be a dead body. The requirement is for the person to have died.”
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