An LA model was left lifeless on a sidewalk outside a hospital on Friday after her body was allegedly dumped by a group of men who disguised their identities.
Christy Giles, 24, appeared to have died from a drug overdose and her family suspect foul play in her death.
Here’s what we know about the model and social media influencer:
What happened to her?
Authorities are investigating what happened in the lead-up to the death of Ms Giles. Security video footage shows Ms Giles being left outside Southern California Hospital in Culver City, California on Friday, by a group of men who hid their identities with bandanas and drove off in a car without license plates. Two hours later the same car left her friend, who remains in critical condition, at a different hospital.
Ms Giles’ family suspects the women were drugged and possibly sexually assaulted.
Why is foul play suspected?
Apart from the disturbing way in which she was dumped outside the hospital, there are other pressing questions about her death.
LAPD have said she appeared to have died from a drug overdose and traces of heroin were found in her friend’s toxicology report. However, Ms Giles’ husband Jan Cilliers insists neither of the women would have voluntarily taken the drug.
Ms Giles’ mother Dusty Giles also says she believes her daughter was drugged and held against her will: “My daughter would have fought like hell and from my understanding from speaking to the emergency room doctor and nurse, they did not see any visible bruises, scratches, or any indication of an altercation.”
Who was she with on the night of her death?
Ms Giles was out with her friend, the designer Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola, and they apparently met some men at a party in Los Angeles before going on to an apartment in West LA.
Ms Giles’ last known contact was at 5.30am, when she messaged Ms Cabrales-Arzola to say: “Let’s get out of here” with a wide-eyed emoji. They agreed to order an Uber and leave. Ms Giles’ body was dumped at the hospital nearly 12 hours after that.
Ms Cabrales-Arzola was dropped at a different hospital two hours later where she was put on life support and has shown no brain activity. Mr Cilliers says she has “little possibility of recovery”.
Who is Ms Giles’ husband?
According to his website, Jan Cilliers is a visual effect supervisor and artist. He shared a tribute to his late wife on Instagram, writing: “I can’t believe you’re gone. Taken from us. From me. How can this world be so cruel. How can people be so evil.”
Where did Christy Giles work?
Ms Giles was a model, social media influencer and aspiring actress. She worked as a model for Nomad and Fox modeling agencies. According to her mother, Dusty Giles, she was signed by Wilhelmina modeling agency at the age of 14, and worked in London for a couple of months.
“She was a runner up to Alabama Teen USA,” her mother told The Sun.
Ms Giles was also a social media influencer, with close to 18.5k followers on Instagram, regularly posting photoshoot pictures as well as snaps of parties and her travels.
What was her personality like?
Christy’s mum Dusty Giles called her daughter “a free spirit” and told The Sun:
“She was extremely athletic and played soccer since she was three years old and was All-County track two years in a row. She ran five to six miles a day for fun.
“She is her daddy’s daughter, she was a daddy’s girl. She’s the rugged outdoors type who rides horses, [to fish] and likes to go shoot guns with her dad.
“She was a Southern girl but non-traditional, she should have been a flower child at Woodstock.”
Her mother added that her daughter was tough, explaining that she was a military police officer’s daughter has her father Leslie served in Iraq.
“My daughters have been taught literally how to kill a person with a ballpoint pen,” she said.