The family of a 17-year-old Thai girl is reeling from grief after her body was discovered inside a suitcase near railway tracks in the resort city of Pattaya. The victim, who traveled from Kalasin province to the coast in mid-June, was remembered by her stepmother, Orradee Bussarakham, as a vibrant and sociable young woman who brought joy to her family. As her parents prepare to bring her remains home for funeral services, they are struggling to process the sudden, violent nature of her death, noting that they never had the chance to say a proper goodbye.

Authorities have since charged 45-year-old Australian national Simon Peter Carman with premeditated murder, as well as child abduction and concealment of a corpse. Police were able to track down the suspect at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport as he attempted to board a flight back to Australia, acting on a tip from a friend of the victim. Evidence, including CCTV footage, allegedly shows Carman entering a condo with the teen before leaving hours later with a large suitcase, which police claim he transported by motorcycle to the site where it was eventually found. The suspect has denied all allegations and remains in custody in Pattaya while the case moves toward prosecution, with potential penalties under Thai law ranging from life imprisonment to the death penalty.