BBC Gaia Pope: Story behind death of teen in Dorset

Called 'Gaia: A Death on Dancing Ledge' it will explore the circumstances around her death as well as her family’s search for truth and justice.

The 19-year-old was found dead 11 days after she went missing in Swanage six years ago, having been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

She was found in undergrowth on a clifftop between Dancing Ledge and Anvil Point.

In this moving three-part documentary Zara McDermott attempts to understand and shed light on the tragic circumstances around the death of Dorset teenager, Gaia Pope-Sutherland.

Gaia: A Death on a Dancing Ledge, watch all episodes from July 25 on #BBCThree and @BBCiPlayer. pic.twitter.com/HLDY5d5O1i

— BBC Three (@bbcthree) July 12, 2023

What were the circumstances behind Gaia Pope going missing?

Gaia Pope made a report to Dorset Police in December 2015 that she had been raped.

After an investigation by the police, they told Gaia that the man she had accused would not be charged.

Gaia suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and received treatment in hospital in February and March 2017.

This was after being sectioned following a seizure and developing psychosis.

The man she had alleged raped her was jailed for unrelated sex offences later in 2017.

Gaia was further assessed at Poole Hospital in October later that year but discharged and sent home without any community support.

On the day she disappeared (November 7, 2017) Gaia was feeling anxious after being told of her alleged rapist's release from prison for other sex offences.

The search for Gaia Pope

It was established that Gaia had left her aunt's home in Swanage at 3.40pm on November 7, 2017.

However, a formal missing person report was not logged by police until 6.15pm, an inquest jury later heard.

A mass coastal search then went underway, with many people from Dorset and further afield volunteering to help out.

Gaia was found on November 18, 2017, in undergrowth on a clifftop between Dancing Ledge and Anvil Point.

A post-mortem examination concluded she died of hypothermia.

An inquest jury heard that the police took some time to log a formal missing person report for Gaia Pope (Image: Newsquest)

When will the BBC documentary on Gaia Pope be broadcast?

The first episode of 'Gaia: A Death on Dancing Ledge' will be broadcast on BBC Three at 9pm on Tuesday, July 25th.

Following that the second and third episodes will air at the same time on the consecutive two days.

Alternatively, all episodes will drop on BBC iPlayer on Tuesday, July 25.

The documentary makers said the show will explore “failing and oversights by officials, including the police and health care professionals, involved in her care”.