Children in Portadown are planning a fundraiser for the family of tragic Laurelvale teenager Caitlin Shortland.
The 15-year-old died in hospital on Saturday.
Police officers had been called to the Corcrain Community Woodland in Portadown at around 6pm on Saturday evening.
They found the young girl unconscious and she was taken to hospital where she sadly died.
The PSNI has said that they were investigating a “possible link to drugs” in relation to the sudden death and those investigations are continuing.
A post mortem is to be carried out to determine the exact cause of death.
Caitlin’s grief-stricken family are very much in the thoughts of the local community who have been stunned at the tragic loss.
The Edgarstown Residents Association has said children in the area wanted to hold a coffee evening “to raise money to help this poor young girl’s family”.
It will take place tomorrow, Tuesday, 6.30pm, on the gravel pitches.
And anyone who cannot attend can also make donations at the Edgarstown Community House, 18/19 Union Street, Portadown.
A local business, the Autospa Car Wash in Portadown, is also hoping to raise money for Caitlin’s family.
Based at Charles Street in Portadown, it revealed its plans for the coming weekend on social media, posting: “This Friday and Saturday at the car wash every car washed we will donate 50p of it to the family. Even if you don’t need your car washed you can pop in and leave a donation!
“We are good friends of Caitlin’s mum so we will give the money to Teresa on Saturday evening so please come along and help us raise as much as possible.”
Caitlin was a pupil of Craigavon Senior High School and pupils there have been offered counselling.
The PSNI have appealed for anyone who can help with the ongoing investigation to come forward.
Chied Inspector Joe McMinn said: “There were a large number of young people in the Corcrain area when police arrived and we are appealing to anyone who was in that area and who has any information which could help us with our enquiries to contact police on 101 quoting reference 994 of 20/05/17.”
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