The family of missing teenager Jayden Parkinson are “heartbroken” and “devastated”, police said.
Detectives believe a body found buried in a grave in Oxfordshire is that of the 17-year-old.
Thames Valley Police said the body was discovered in a recently disturbed site in the cemetery of All Saints’ Church, Didcot.
The man leading the investigation, Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Murray, said: “We had prepared Jayden’s family for the worst but I’m afraid nothing can prepare you for the loss of your child.
“They remain heartbroken, they remain devastated, and our thoughts are with them at this time.”
In a brief statement at Thames Valley Police HQ in Kidlington, near Oxford, Mr Murray said: “It’s been a long and difficult night but, as you probably know, we discovered a body in a particular grave in All Saints’ Cemetery in Didcot andI believe that body to be Jayden Parkinson, our missing teenager.
“Formal identification has not yet taken place. Jayden’s body was removed from the cemetery late last night.
“Our only work in that cemetery now consists of returning that cemetery to its previous state.
“A post-mortem will take place today to try and determine how Jayden died and our management of various crime scenes in and around Didcot will be dependent on the outcome of that post-mortem.
“I’d like to thank the public for all their support and I’d like to thank you, the media, for your help in this case.
“This is likely to be the last time I make any public comment before the outcome of the trial.”
Jayden’s ex-boyfriend Ben Blakeley, 22, appeared in court earlier this week charged with her murder.
A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has also been charged with perverting the course of justice between December 3 and December 10 by assisting in the disposal of Jayden’s body and other evidence.