BODY OF 16 YEAR OLD GIRL FOUND IN CRASHED CAR AT ACCIDENT SCENE DIDN'T DIE THERE,IT WAS STAGED

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of murdering a 16-year-old schoolgirl and trying to cover up the crime by staging a fake car crash.

The body of Megan Bannister, who wanted to be a midwife, was found on the back seat of a black Vauxhall Astra after it hit a motorbike in Enderby, Leicestershire.

Detectives launched a murder inquiry after it emerged the girl's injuries were 'not consistent' with a car crash following the collision at about 11.45am on Sunday. 

The body of Megan Bannister, 16, was found on the back seat of a car after a crash on Sunday

Megan (right), who lived in Leicester and wanted to be a midwife, is pictured with her mother Carol (centre), 49, and sister Kirsten (left), 25

Leicestershire Police said two men, aged 27 and 28, have been arrested on suspicion of murder and are in custody being questioned by detectives. 

Megan lived with her mother Carol, 49, and father Tony, 54, in Leicester. Her sister Kirsten, 25, posted a tribute to Megan on Facebook with a selection of family photos.

In a statement, the family of the girl said: 'Megan was our beautiful, talented, loving daughter and sister, and our hearts have been utterly broken by her death. 

'The thought of life without Megan is impossible to imagine, and we cannot adequately express in words the sense of numbness and overwhelming grief we feel at her loss. 

'She was bright, clever, and a responsible person who loved her family and her many friends. She had a strong self-will and had set her heart on training to becoming a midwife.' 

Megan (right) is pictured with her sister Kirsten (left). Megan's family have paid tribute to their 'beautiful, talented, loving daughter and sister'
 

The family added: 'Knowing how confident and determined she was, we have no doubt she would have realised that dream. 

'As a family, we are doing our best to support one another at this harrowing time, and would respectfully ask that we are left alone to grieve in private without intrusion.'

Her school revealed that Megan was a former 'pupil of the week' who was due to take her first GCSE exam today – and told how she would have made a 'brilliant' midwife.

A Wigston College spokesman said: 'The whole college community has been devastated by the news of Megan's death. Megan was funny, friendly and good.

'She was popular and had a wide range of friends: she liked people and they liked her and this is how we will remember her.' 

Floral tributes on Desford Road, where the body of Megan, 16, was found in the back of a car

A force spokesman said: 'An initial post-mortem examination was inconclusive and further tests are being conducted to find out exactly how Megan died.

'However, her death is not believed to have been the result of a road traffic collision.' 

Police confirmed they are investigating the possibility the crash was deliberately staged.

A spokesman added: 'All lines of inquiry are open and are being investigated. It would be wrong for us to comment on exact lines of the inquiry.' 

Two bunches of flowers with a sympathy card and a note attached have been placed at the scene of the collision, on a straight two-lane stretch of the B582 Desford Road.

One message said: 'I am so sorry we could not save you. My heart is broken. But you are in a safe place now. RIP little angel.' 

This note on the road in Enderby paid tribute to Megan, describing her as a 'little angel'

Several of Megan's relatives have changed their Facebook profile pictures to an image of the schoolgirl.

Her uncle Gary Bannister, 52, tweeted yesterday: 'Today I had a terrible phone call from my brother about his daughter, my niece. I have been crying most of the day. I just cannot believe it.'

Today, he added: 'Still cannot believe it about my niece Megan Bannister... heartbroken.'

And Megan's friend Olivia Grace tweeted: 'Absolutely broken, I will miss you so much, gorgeous. Cannot believe this has happened. Sleep tight, my gorgeous. I love you so much.'

Her relative Adam Flanagan added on Facebook: "Goodbye to my second cousin Megan. I miss you. Thank you to everyone for their kind words.

The body of Megan Bannister was found on the back seat of a car on Desford Road in Enderby

‘We are all still deverstated by this news about Megan. We are trying to hold on to each other and support one another.

‘It's just a shame she was taken so soon, we all hope she gets the justice she deserves. RIP Megan, fly high beautiful angel.’

And one local resident said: 'At first people thought the woman had died in a road accident, but then it has come out that the police believe she was dead before the crash. That has really upset and frightened people.'

Another resident added: 'People in Enderby and the surrounding area said they were in shock at news of Megan's death, especially after police confirmed it was being treated as murder.'

Social media users spoke of their shock, with Lisa Smith saying: 'Shocking and so sad. What a terrible waste of a young life. Deepest sympathies to her family.'

Her sister Kirsten, 25, posted a tribute to Megan on Facebook with a selection of family photos

Tracy Doughty replied: 'She was a pupil, Lisa, at my daughter's school. Such a sad loss for her family and friends. So, so sad.'

'Our hearts have been utterly broken by her death'

Family of Megan Bannister

She added: 'I feel for the students - they have got GCSEs going on, and now the loss of a friend to deal with.'

The rider of the motorbike suffered serious injuries and was taken to Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre.

A woman pillion passenger also suffered minor injuries and received treatment at Leicester Royal Infirmary.