Friends of a female British tourist found dead after a mysterious hotel fall in Thailand were today demanding an investigation into her death.
Maxine Missick, 23, checked into a room on the 31st floor of the hotel in Hat Yai, southern Thailand, last Monday.
But her body was found at 5.30am on Friday morning by a passing motorcyclist who heard her body hit the ground – three days before she was due to return to the UK.
Friends of female British tourist Maxine Missick, who was found dead after a mysterious hotel fall in Thailand, were today demanding an investigation into her death
Missick, 23, checked into a room on the 31st floor of the Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel in Hat Yai, southern Thailand, last Monday. Pictured: Her room
Missick’s body was found at 5.30am on Friday morning by a passing motorcyclist who heard her body hit the ground
Maxine, who was studying at Keele University in Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, was later pronounced dead after suffering a suspected neck and back break, as well as other injuries in the fall.
Police ruled out foul play as they said her room showed no signs of a robbery and believe she committed suicide or accidentally fell.
But her best friend Tom Kayzee today said she was happy and planning for the future hours before her death.
Kayzee, 23, added: ‘I had known Maxine since 2015 when we were doing a foundation course at University. We were very close ever since.
‘I didn’t think it was the best idea for her to study abroad but she was so happy about it.
‘We spoke at 6pm on the night before she died. I was telling her how I had got engaged and she was so happy. She was talking about her plans to return to the UK and be a VIP guest for us at the party.
‘She was happy and there were no signs she was feeling down or troubled that day.
Maxine, who was studying at Keele University in Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, was later pronounced dead after suffering a suspected neck and back break
‘The only thing I can think of is that her mother had recently suffered a stroke and she felt a lot of pressure as an only child to take care of the family. But she would never jump from a hotel window. I am sure of that.
‘Right now I’m just hurting so much. It’s really painful and everybody who knew her is totally shocked and upset by it.
‘We need answers and we would like the authorties to investigate it more so we know what happened and why.’
Maxine, who is originally from the British overseas territories of Turks and Caicos near the Bahamas, had studied Biomedical Sciences in the UK before taking an internship in Penang, Malaysia.
She is believed to have travelled for a holiday to Hat Yai, the nearest Thai tourist resort an hour’s drive from the Malay border checkpoint, before she was due to fly home.
She was staying at the 33-storey high Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel on the Saneha Nusorn road in the city.
Maxine (left) was staying at the 33-storey high Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel on the Saneha Nusorn road in the city
A local motorbike taxi rider heard a loud thud and found her body at 5.30am in an alley behind the hotel and alerted staff who called the emergency services. She was pronounced dead at the scene having suffered severe injuries.
Inspector General Sornpet Tantiamonchaikul from the Hat Yai Police Department said officers were still waiting for the results of a post mortem examination before ruling on the official cause of death.
He said: ‘Police were notified by the rescue foundation about the accident involving the British tourist Maxine Missick. She was staying alone in the room. Our investigation showed she checked in on August 21.
‘In the room there was no damage or signs of violence. There are no suspicions or investigations into foul play or another person being involved.
‘A window was open. We believe she either committed suicide by jumping or she fell accidentally.’