A teenage girl found dead on a path near Rotherham this morning had gone to see a man she met on a dating website, a friend has claimed.
Leonne Weeks 16, was discovered in Dinnington, South Yorkshire, at 10.55am and police are treating her death as suspicious.
Detectives said they had "concerns around the state of the body and the injuries" and revealed the teenager had been reported missing just 20 minutes before she was found.
A friend of the 16-year-old chillingly said Leonne "had gone to meet someone" before her body was discovered by a member of the public in an isolated pathway.
One card read: "To Leonne and family. Thinking about you, miss you so much. Sleep tight, fly high angel.
One card read: "To Leonne and family. Thinking about you, miss you so much. Sleep tight, fly high angel.
A man in his 20s, who wished to remain anonymous and said at the scene he was "deeply shocked" at the death of his friend.
He added: "I used to be neighbours with her and know her really well - she's a good mate of mine, is Leonne.
"We don't know what's happened, all we know is she went to meet someone - meet a bloke [man] - and now her body has been found.
"She met him off the internet - one of those dating sites."
Asked if he knew how Leonne had died, he added: "I don't know - all I know is the pathway is just a dead end and backs onto a few allotments down there."
Asked if he knew how Leonne had died, he added: "I don't know - all I know is the pathway is just a dead end and backs onto a few allotments down there."
Another local said that they had heard the claims from a number of people.
Another one of Leonne's friends said: "She was just absolutely sound, always up for a laugh. She was one of the funniest people I've ever met - she was lovely.
Dinnington councillor Simon Tweed told Mirror Online: "It's a very sad day for the area today. People are still numb about what's happened.
"For someone so young to be taken away from the family in such circumstances, it has left a hole in the community. My condolences go out to the family."
South Yorkshire Police placed a cordon around the area after the girl's body was spotted on a pathway in the residential area of Lordens Hill.
South Yorkshire Police placed a cordon around the area after the girl's body was spotted on a pathway in the residential area of Lordens Hill.
Temporary Superintendent Sarah Poolman told a news conference this evening that the girl had been reported missing 20 minutes before she was found.
She said police were treating the death as suspicious due to "concerns around the state of the body and the injuries."
In an earlier statement Temp Superintendent Poolman said: “The investigation is in its very early stages however we are treating the death as suspicious.
In an earlier statement Temp Superintendent Poolman said: “The investigation is in its very early stages however we are treating the death as suspicious.
“To provide reassurance to the local community and wider general public, additional police patrols are in place and will continue over the coming days.
I am incredibly sad to hear about the discovery of a teenage girl’s body in Dinnington near my constituency office this morning.
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“I would urge anyone who believes they have information about the incident to please come forward.”
Police said the the body is yet to be formally identified.
Family members and friends had appealed for help to find Leonne on social media before learning the tragic news.
Family members and friends had appealed for help to find Leonne on social media before learning the tragic news.
Stunned friends paid tribute to the teen on Facebook after hearing of her death.
One said: "Fly high cousin can't believe you have gone misa you".
Another said: "This is surely not happening".Rother Valley MP Kevin Barron tweeted shortly after the news broke: "I am incredibly sad to hear about the discovery of a teenage girl’s body in Dinnington near my constituency office this morning.
"I would like to send my condolences to the family and friends of this young girl. We must now allow the police time to investigate."
Anyone with information can call police on 101 quoting incident number 256 of 16 January 2017.
A teenage girl found dead on a path near Rotherham this morning had gone to see a man she met on a dating website, a friend has claimed.
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