Barbados police authorities last week declared there to be “nothing to indicate” an intruder had been responsible for the death of Natalie Crichlow.

Press outlets had alleged Crichlow had been attacked by an unknown intruder before being covered in a flammable liquid and burned on 28 July – later passing away in hospital on 6 August.

However, a statement released by Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc, based on information from the island’s police chief and government, has refuted the details of the previous reports, adding how “current evidence shows no intruder was involved” which it said suggested “the reports by the UK media appear to be inaccurate and unfounded”.

“From the evidence reported and shared by police commissioner Tyrone Griffith, Ms Crichlow’s death seems to have been caused by a fire that began in the kitchen of the house she was residing in,” it said.

“We do not yet know how that fire started. Furthermore, a forensic report that analysed Ms Crichlow’s clothing has found no evidence of any accelerant at all, showing further inaccuracies in the reporting we have seen.

“This is unquestionably an incredibly tragic incident and we are all deeply saddened by the death of Ms Crichlow. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ms Crichlow, her family and friends. The Barbadian authorities and the British High Commission are supporting her family at this time of unimaginable sorrow.”