A WITNEY woman died after falling from a mountain hiking trail in Guatemala as she went to watch the sunrise, an inquest has heard.
Catherine Shaw, 23, was found around 100m from the Indian Nose trail, in the south-western highlands of the central American country, after being reported missing several days earlier by friends.
This morning, Oxford Coroner's Court heard that Ms Shaw had been hiking alone in the hills and had removed her clothing before slipping off the trail.
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A post-mortem examination concluded that she had died of 'multiple injuries', including haemorrhaging resulting from a traumatic brain injury, coroner Darren Salter confirmed.
Despite previous online speculation about foul play, Mr Salter said there were 'no suspicious circumstances or third party involvement', and it was likely that Ms Shaw had been dead for 'four to six days' before her body was discovered.
Ms Shaw, who was a yoga teacher, was described at the inquest as 'a very spiritual person, who very much enjoyed being surrounded by nature' and was reported to have been fasting at the time, though this was unconfirmed by a pathologist.
Mr Salter said: "The likelihood is that Catherine was visiting, trekking on this mountain trail.
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"She was alone, and she was to view the sunrise near this viewpoint, and had decided to climb a section of this mountain."
Ms Shaw was reported missing on Thursday, March 7 this year, after being last seen in the town of San Juan La Laguna, on the shores of Lake Atitlan.
Friends of Catherine Shaw holding a memorial for her at a hotel in San Pedro La Laguna, Guatemala, on March 12. (AP Photo/Santiago Billy)
The Lucie Blackman Trust, a charity dedicated to funding and supporting searches for British citizens missing abroad, helped co-ordinate the quest to find her and an appeal to bring her home.
Police announced on Monday March 11 that her body had been found unclothed and in a state of decomposition near the viewpoint.
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But her father, Tarquin Shaw, who attended the hearing with his wife, Ann, and Ms Shaw's godmother, Trish, said his daughter was 'quite capable' of having removed her own clothing.
While he said it was 'unusual for a 23-year-old to not be body-conscious', he said his own that daughter was different from other young women.
"She believed in what she was presented with. She was confident and it was quite refreshing to see in a youngster.
"She was very comfortable in her own skin."
Catherine Shaw's parent's Tarquin and Ann pictured in a video appeal to help find their daughter in March.
A family statement, read out to the court, said Ms Shaw was 'a vivacious, friendly, kind and adventurous person who made friends all over the world. She loved mountains, waterfalls, sunrises and sunsets'.
Her short-term plan had been to explore a volcanic area before travelling to a festival in Colombia.
Mr Salter ended the inquest by recording a conclusion of accidental death.
He also offered his condolences to Ms Shaw's family, saying: "She was someone who led a very full and active life."
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