Woman 'killed by drugs smugglers'

Laura Hill was found dead in October 2007 while travelling in Argentina

The mother of a Sussex woman found dead in Argentina has said she believes she may have been murdered after refusing to smuggle drugs for a criminal gang.

Laura Hill's family, from Eastbourne, were originally told the 25-year-old had died of natural causes in Buenos Aires in October 2007.

It then emerged there were bruises over her body and she had been drugged.

On Monday, her mother and sister went to Parliament to lobby their local MP in a fresh attempt to get answers.

'Criminal investigation'

After seeing more police evidence, they now believe she was killed for refusing to help a gang of drug smugglers.

Ms Hill's mother, Alison Hill, said: "Clearly Laura did get herself involved with people that were bad and I feel that she got involved with something that was out of her depth, and she changed her mind... and I think this is possibly where it all went wrong for her."

When Ms Hill's body was returned to the UK, her organs were missing, but her family have now been told they have been traced and will be returned to the Sussex coroner.

Nigel Waterson, the Tory MP for Eastbourne, said he hoped a proper criminal investigation could take place.

"I don't want to prejudge what the coroner has got to do, but I would hope that as part of his conclusions he would issue directions that Sussex Police might be invited to participate in a proper criminal investigation in Argentina with the Argentinian authorities."

The family have consistently accused the Foreign Office of letting them down and giving them "conflicting information".

On Monday, the Foreign Office said it had given the family all the assistance it could and an investigation was ongoing in Argentina.