Rachel Ward (20) froze to death after falling into lake after ski party

[A Midnight Dreary]

The parents of student Rachel Ward today made an emotional visit to the scene of her death before beginning the tragic task of arranging for her  body to be returned to the UK.

Her heartbroken parents Edna and Colin, together with her brother Richard, spent 20 minutes on the river bank in Val D’Isere where Rachel fell and froze to death in the early hours of Tuesday morning. 

They travelled to the ski resort today to meet with police having spent last night in Moutiers, where Rachel’s body underwent a medical  examination.

In a statement her family said they were “devastated at the loss of their  beautiful daughter”.

Meanwhile investigators today closed the investigation saying it was 'a  tragic accident' and no one would be charged in connection with the 20-year-old  undergraduate’s death. 

Vice Prosecutor Francois Touret, of the Court of Albertville, said: “Today we  have closed the investigation and authority for releasing the body has been  granted. We, the prosecutors, have the final say on this.

“It was a tragic accident. She made a mistake on her return to her  accommodation. It appears that she thought she could cross the river on a  snowbridge but she fell and died from the cold. 

“The circumstances surrounding the death were clear to us and we did not  require an autopsy to be carried out, just a medical examination.”

Commenting on speculation that Rachel’s friends could face charges, he added:  “No one is to be charged in connection with the death.'

Rachel’s family met with police yesterday morning before walking to the scene of her death. They were accompanied by two police officers, the Chief of Police of Val D’Isere, Didier Jumel, and Sergeant Christophe Paulinski. 

M. Jumel said: “We visited the scene with Rachel’s family. This was very important for them. We spent 20 minutes there and they asked a lot of questions which is only natural. They wanted us to explain to them what had happened. 

“They will be staying in Francefor a few days because there is a lot of  paperwork to sort out.

“The investigation is closed and no one will be charged. There has never been  any suggestion that anyone would be charged.”

Pics of Rachel, more on story:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1115402/Our-beautiful-daughter-Agony-parents-British-woman-froze-death-ski-party.html

RIP Rachel 

[Olivia]

I tried to find a myspace for Rachel earlier in the week but no dice.  Very sad 

[Hayalet]

Its not a great article but gives an idea of why her friend may have faced charges (they have been dropped)

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2138031.ece

A PAL of tragic skier Rachel Ward found an SOS from her mobile as she froze to death in a river — but did NOTHING.


Fellow university student Haydn Johnson, 20, returned from a night out to discover TWO missed calls on the phone he had left in his chalet.

Rachel — who clawed in vain at a snowy bank to escape the icy water — had left a message after the first call, saying: “I’m lost.

“I want to go home but I don’t know where I am. I can’t see any signs.”

Two hours later she made the second call — which Haydn missed by 15 minutes.

This time she left no message. Alpine cops in the French resort of Val d’Isere believe Rachel, 20, of Halifax, West Yorks, was floundering in the knee-deep water at the time.

Haydn rang her back but got no reply.

He failed to raise the alarm and went to bed.

Cop Christoph Paulinski urged him not to feel guilty but said: “If he had called us we could have launched a full-scale operation.”

Haydn, from Coventry — among Durham University students on a week’s holiday — refused to comment yesterday.

He was said to be “devastated”.

Yesterday the parents of natural sciences student Rachel — who fell 30ft into the river after drinking with chums in a bar — visited the death scene.

Dad Colin, a property developer, and solicitor mum Edna paid tribute in a statement to their “beautiful daughter.”

Haydn's myspace- http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID =48877370

[Lou]

Facebook group - http://www.facebook.com/s.php?k=100000004&id=45104957710&gr=2& sf=t&sid=807224a74b18c37113977b44f96e1d21& act=2379933256#/group.php?gid=45104957710