SEREMBAN, Aug 10 — On the eve of Hari Raya Haji today, the parents of Nora Anne Quoirin, 15, who vanished overnight from The Dusun here, made their first public appearance.
Amid the forest resort’s leafy surroundings, Meabh Qouirin expressed her family’s deep gratitude to the team of searchers gathered for sacrificing their time, noting the ongoing efforts to find her special needs daughter who has been missing exactly one week.
In a video made available to Malay Mail, Meabh’s short speech was halting as she held back tears. Her husband and Nora’s father, Sebastian Qouirin stood beside her, rubbing her arm in stoic support.
“We want to say thank you to each and every one of you. We know you’re searching night and day for Nora.
“We see you working so hard and also praying with us and being with us.
“You have given up your time especially at a special festival time,” she said, referring to Hari Raya Haji celebrations.
Meabh also said her family is impressed with the dedication and expertise shown by the searchers looking for Nora.
“To be with us here... it means the world to us. We are so grateful for everything that you are doing for us... everyone who is helping here and not from here.
“We are extremely impressed by the effort, your expertise, your dedication and we hope you find Nora.
“And thank you so much and terima kasih,” she said, ending her speech.
The parents spent about four minutes with the searchers who then got on with Day 7 of the search.
Investigators have yet to find further clues to her whereabouts.
Nora flew in to Kuala Lumpur from London with her father and two other siblings on August 4 for a two-week holiday. Her mother joined in from Singapore.
The family journeyed together to the upscale forest resort from the airport that Saturday. Nora was reported to have disappeared from her bedroom which she shared with her siblings at 8am the following day.
Yesterday, Negri Sembilan deputy police chief Senior Assistant Commissioner Che Zakaria Othman said that Bukit Aman Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is looking through phone records and email exchanges made from The Dusun resort.
He said that investigators from the CID team are in the midst of scrutinising every incoming and outgoing communication made from the resort as part of their investigations.
Zakaria pointed out that the CID team was roped in from day one, where they were initially assisted by officers from the state headquarters. However, the federal police have now been roped in as the search and rescue operation intensifies.
Police previously said Nora left the resort through an aluminium-framed glass window in the villa occupied by her family after finding several sets of fingerprints on it.
Forensics is trying to establish if the fingerprints are from non-resort staff or outsiders.
Searcher have also been playing voice recordings of Meabh calling out to Nora to draw out the teenager.
Police believe she may be hiding out of fear. Her family has said she was born with slower learning and developmental capabilities.
