Virginia Giuffre, prominent Jeffrey Epstein abuse survivor, dies by suicide

Virginia Giuffre, one of Jeffrey Epstein's most prominent accusers, has died by suicide aged 41, her family has confirmed to the BBC.

They said in a statement on Friday that "the toll of abuse" became too heavy in a statement confirming her death.

"She lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking," a statement from her family reads.

Giuffre was one of the most outspoken accusers of Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. She alleged they trafficked her to the Duke of York when she was 17, which Prince Andrew has strenuously denied.

If you are suffering distress or despair, details of help and support in the UK are available at BBC Action Line.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.