NSW Police have “unashamedly apologised” after the family of missing bushwalker Lily Hooper were told she had been found alive after an eight-day search in the NSW Southern Highlands.
A body believed to be that of Ms Hooper was located in bushland about 11:30am today.
Police said that while the body was yet to be formally identified, it was believed to be that of the missing 18-year-old.
Ms Hooper left her home south-west of Sydney on the morning of Wednesday, August 12, to go hiking in the Nattai National Park.
Her car was later found near the Bonnum Pic Walking Trail, sparking a large-scale multi-agency search involving almost 100 Australian Defence Force personnel and 280 NSW SES volunteers.
Crews scoured steep drops, dense undergrowth and complex cliff lines.
NSW Police used a thermal-imaging helicopter and examined telecommunications data in an effort to trace Ms Hooper’s last movements.
Ms Hooper’s family have been stationed at the search command point since she went missing.
Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said the next step was for police to recover the body.
“We attempted to use a helicopter to retrieve her body. Due to the nature of the terrain, the canopy, we weren’t able to do that,” he said.
“So we’ll now work through a process, whether it’s manual or on foot, to retrieve her body … to bring her back to be with her family and go through the investigative process.”
Family believed she was alive for up to 10 minutes
NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Joseph Cassar this afternoon said the body was found by an SES searcher in “thick dense terrain” and that there was an “eight- to 10-minute” period when Ms Hooper’s family believed she was found alive.
“Unfortunately, it did take that small period of time for us to give them an update,” he said.
“I can tell you the police that were in charge at the time that spoke to Lily’s mum and dad certainly hoped for a more positive outcome.
“If we were able to provide them more detailed information on that first report, I can tell you that would have been the case.”
Assistant Commissioner Joseph Cassar offered his sincere condolences and defended the search process. (ABC News: Brooke Chandler)
Commissioner Lanyon said he “unashamedly apologised” for the “miscommunication” and “any additional trauma” to Ms Hooper’s family.
“The miscommunication obviously was born out of elation that Lily had been found, and her condition at that time was such that searchers were relieved,” he said.
“Tragically that miscommunication then led to a deflation and obviously we know now, an impact on her family.”
Commissioner Lanyon said it was a “tragic day”.
“Our focus had been clear, find Lily and bring her safely back to her family,” he said.
“Sadly, that has not been the case.”
He said just shy of 1,000 searchers helped look for Ms Hooper and communications “may have passed through a number of hands” given the location where Ms Hooper was found was remote.
“I think it’s appropriate we review the matter … we’ll look at the communication obviously with a view to improving that.”
Assistant Commissioner Cassar denied suggestions police had “jumped the gun” as far as providing information to the family was concerned.
“It’s an eight-day coordinated search, we’re talking about hundreds of volunteer people that are trained in searching, we’re talking about think dense terrain, we’re talking about processes that we’ve adopted to engage family members to keep them informed throughout every step of the way,” he said.
“So when we talk about a very short window in information being provided, no I don’t believe we’ve jumped the gun.”
NSW Police were joined by numerous other agencies during the eight-day search for Ms Hooper. (Billy Cooper: ABC News.)
When pushed by reporters, Assistant Commissioner Cassar said: “If i could turn the clock back I certainly would.”
“I, I can’t provide a comment in regards to that because I don’t know the exact wording of what was said [to her family],” he said.
Assistant Commissioner Cassar praised the multi-agency team who helped look for Ms Hooper.
SES volunteers at the command post from where the search for Ms Hooper was coordinated. (Billy Cooper: ABC News.)
“I think the all the searchers involved in this operation have done an exceptional job coming together,” he said.
“This is not the outcome that we’d hoped but my sincere appreciation goes out to every one of the searchers that were involved.
“They’re putting themselves in harm’s way and they don’t even give two thoughts of it.”
Minns gives ‘terrible news’Loading…
NSW Premier Chris Minns was informed during budget estimates that Ms Hooper had been found, initially saying that she was alive.
This was widely reported by Australian media, including the ABC.
The premier later told a parliamentary hearing that a body had been found.
“I’ve got some terrible news,” Mr Minns said.
“I apologise to the committee, but it seems as if the early advice was wrong.
“Lily’s body’s been found and she’s been found deceased.
“I only raise that because I made the earlier advice and I’m very sorry for that.
“This is obviously devastating and I’m just profoundly sad for her family and all those concerned.
“And I apologise to the committee. This is terrible news.”
The premier was handed a note advising him Lily Hooper had been found. (ABC News)
In a later statement, he said he “genuinely believed” he was “sharing good news”.
“I am profoundly sorry to think that anything I may have said may have added to their [Ms Hooper’s family] heartbreak at an already devastating time.”
Commissioner Lanyon said the information went through policing commands to the police minister and up to the premier’s office, and had been reported widely.
“It was something that was inadvertent, but as I said, was born out of looking to find Lily and bring her back to her family.”
He said he did not know what exactly was said to Ms Hooper’s parents at the time, “but obviously her condition when she was located, initial information … that was communicated was that she was alive”.
The commissioner said he called Mr Minns to apologise for the information the premier received.
Federal leaders pay tribute
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Angus Taylor today led a moment of silence in federal parliament after expressing their condolences to Ms Hooper’s family.
Mr Taylor said Ms Hooper was from his electorate and her love of bushwalking “only compounds the tragedy of her death”.
“Any parent who reads this news will hug their children tighter tonight,” he said.
Mr Albanese described her passing as “an unspeakable tragedy”.
“Lily Hooper had so much more to offer the world,” he said.
“Her passing, I have no doubt, will be felt very deeply across Southern Highlands, among her family, her friends, and indeed right across the nation.”
Wollondilly shire mayor Matt Gould wrote on social media that he was “absolutely heartbroken” for Lily and thanked all the people who searched for her.
“For eight days our community held onto hope together,” he wrote.
“We watched every update, thought constantly of Lily and her family, and desperately wanted this beautiful young woman to be found safe.”
NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane said in a statement the news of Ms Hooper’s death was “devastating”.
“So many people had been hoping for Lily’s safe return and today’s news will be difficult and deeply felt,” she said.
A report will be prepared for the coroner.
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Thu 20 Aug 2026 at 4:57pmThu 20 Aug 2026 at 4:57pm
Mal Lanyon update concludes
That’s it from NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon.
For more updates on this story head to the ABC News website.
Thu 20 Aug 2026 at 4:56pmThu 20 Aug 2026 at 4:56pm
Sex doll mistake comparisons
The commissioner is now being asked about an incident last week where detectives mistook a sex doll for a body stuffed in a suitcase.
To recap, NSW Police told the public the body of a woman was located in a suitcase in a state of decomposition near Goulburn.
A day later they fronted the press to confirm the body was actually a life-like sex doll after forensic testing.
Commissioner Lanyon was quizzed on the two mistakes occurring in a short time frame.
“I’ve addressed the Goulburn incident previously and I’ve been really clear on the fact the police took exactly the right precautions when what we now know was a doll was found in a suitcase there,” he says.
“There was inclement weather, it was dark. We spoke to the pathologist in order to preserve the crime scene, preserve evidence the suitcase was removed from the scene.”
Thu 20 Aug 2026 at 4:52pmThu 20 Aug 2026 at 4:52pm
How did mistake make it’s way to the premier?
Commissioner Lanyon is being asked about how that information made its way to Premier Chris Minns.
Minns then relayed the false information to a parliamentary hearing before having to correct himself.
Commissioner Lanyon said he spoke to the premier and apologised “for the information he received”.
“The miscommunication obviously went through policing commands and up to government and has been reported widely,” he said.
“It was something that was inadvertent, but as I said, was borne out of looking to find Lily and bring her back to her family.
“It goes through a range of police commands to the minister for police and then to the premier’s office.”
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