As mystery remains surrounds the location of the student nurse, Owami Davies, who vanished almost seven weeks ago, police searching for her were today warned there was “no justification” for getting the facts and the evidence wrong.
Both Essex Police and the nearby Scotland Yard, which still lacks any proof that the 24-year-old Grays woman has “come to harm,” have come under fire for how they have handled the inquiry.
On July 6, after receiving a report about a young woman’s wellbeing, the Metropolitan Police met with her in Croydon, South London, and called for an ambulance, but she refused and departed. At the time, Miss Davies, a nursing student at King’s College London, was dozing off in a friend’s front doorway.
Essex Police received a missing person report about her earlier that day, but they had not yet entered her identity into the police database. On July 13, the Met Police finally acknowledged that the person they had talked to was indeed Miss Davies. Investigators are now searching through 117 reports of sightings of the student to attempt to determine her whereabouts.
The Met Police unintentionally released a CCTV image of another woman; the first appeal for information about her whereabouts was made three weeks after she vanished; the case wasn’t handed over to the Specialist Crime squad until August 1; and a search of the Croydon house wasn’t carried out until August 5.
After leaving her Grays, England, home on July 4, Miss Davies was seen on surveillance at a Croydon store just after midnight on July 7, hours after her interview with the Met Police. In the early hours of July 7, she was also saw with an unidentified male near the West Croydon railway station, but she hasn’t been seen since.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct, a watchdog, has been informed of the situation and is deciding whether to launch a thorough inquiry. Her family is being shown the incident from the body camera on July 6th.
Leroy Logan, a former superintendent of the Metropolitan Police, said on ITV’s Good Morning Britain today that the first report that Essex used had a lot to do with how the risk elements were considered and how it wasn’t a “high danger” situation.
Following a report about a young woman’s wellbeing, the Metropolitan Police were sent to Croydon, South London, on July 6. Bodycam video captures their chat with Owami Davies during that time. She refused assistance and departed even after they phoned an ambulance.
Today, Leroy Logan, a former Met Police Superintendent, discussed Owami Davies’ disappearance on ITV’s Good Morning Britain.
Owami Davies (also seen on the right) was captured on camera leaving West Croydon in South London at around 12.30 p.m. on July 7 and headed north on London Road.
On July 7, Owami Davies was seen inside a store on Derby Road in West Croydon, South London. The CCTV footage of her seen here is accurate. Police first incorrectly published CCTV images of another lady, which media outlets then reported.
So there has undoubtedly been a communication failure between Essex and the Met. Even though there were sightings of her in Croydon on the day she was reported missing, when it was ultimately moved to the Met about two and a half to three weeks later, you wondered why the delay had occurred.
“I am aware of the staggering number of missing person situations. Although there is a lot of work to be done, it is nevertheless unacceptable to have incorrect data and evidence and to not share it across the various police agencies.
How the police’s search for missing Owami Davies has progressed
– On July 4, Miss Davies departs from her Grays, Essex, home while informing her mother that she is going to the gym.
– July 6: Her family notifies Essex Police that she is missing.
A woman’s wellbeing is a worry, so the Metropolitan Police are summoned to an address on Clarendon Road in Croydon. Officers arrive, consult with the lady, and dial the London Ambulance Service. Before the ambulance service can arrive, she informs them she does not want their assistance and leaves the house.
At the time, Miss Davies was not listed as missing on the police database, and it wasn’t until the Met’s missing person inquiry that they were able to identify the lady as the 24-year-old.
– July 7: Miss Davies was last seen on Derby Road in West Croydon, south London, shortly after midnight.
– On July 11, Essex Police decide to launch a proactive media appeal after conducting an investigation.
– July 16: The force issues a second appeal, which it distributes three days later on Facebook.
– July 23: After discovering that a significant portion of Miss Davies’s location enquiries had been in London, the case is formally handed over from Essex Police to the Metropolitan Police.
– July 31: Three weeks after she vanished, The Met Police make their first plea for information on her whereabouts.
– August 1: In connection with the inquiry, the police detains two individuals, ages 23 and 27, in the Croydon area on suspicion of murder.
– On August 2, a third man, 32, is detained at a South Croydon house on suspicion of murder.
– August 3: Miss Davies’ mother Nicol Davies makes an appeal to the public, pleading with them to come forward if they have heard of, seen, or otherwise come into contact with her. She said her daughter was “very happy,” had approximately two months remaining to finish her studies, and had just landed a job with Guy’s and St Thomas’. She was speaking at New Scotland Yard. A 22-year-old male is detained at a Croydon house on the same day on suspicion of murder.
– On August 5, the Metropolitan Police Service refers a matter involving officers’ interactions with Owami Davies in Croydon on July 6 to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
– On August 6, police detain a 27-year-old male on suspicion of kidnapping, making their sixth arrest of the day.
– August 9: The Met Police provide an update on the investigation and state that investigators have investigated homes and parks, seen hundreds of hours of CCTV, and made in-depth door-to-door enquiries. The police department also confirms that the five males who were detained as part of the inquiry have been freed on bail.
– On August 16, Scotland Yard published a new appeal stating that Miss Davies may be “around the neighborhood and in need of assistance.”
– August 18: According to a tweet from British Transport Police (BTP), the 24-year-old may still often board trains, may seem disoriented or confused, and may be attempting to talk to ladies who are traveling alone. “Owami has been depressed and in the absence of her medicine may use alcohol to treat her depression,” the Metropolitan Police stated in a statement.
– August 20: The Metropolitan Police have informed the media that on July 6, their officers had contact with Miss Davies at the house on Clarendon Road, Croydon. The IOPC also acknowledges that it has received a referral on the issue, is reviewing the evidence, and is determining if further action is necessary.
– According to the Met Police, there is “no sign that she has been harmed,” and investigators “remain optimistic that we will discover her alive and well.” They suggest that she may be living on the streets. She is verified to have no remaining funds on her Oyster card, which she uses to pay on public transportation, and she is also unable to use her phone or bank cards.
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“When they do it incorrectly, it may lead to some horrible outcomes.” I’m hoping Owami will show up.
Additionally, Mr. Logan made a comparison between this case and that of black youngster Richard Okorogheye, who was discovered dead in Epping Forest on April 5—two weeks after going missing.
The sickle cell anemia patient, age 19, went home without his medicine.
When asked whether the police show “less attention” in a missing person case involving a person of color, Mr. Logan said, “You can’t exclude the potential that certain assumptions and preconceptions have been established.”
If you recall, Richard Okorogheye was arrested in Loughton, Essex, at the beginning of the year.
He is 18 years old; if you can’t locate him, how can we, kind of thing. This is how call handling was seen to be at fault. Unfortunately, the young guy was discovered dead in Epping Forest, which is a terrible tragedy. It may have turned out quite differently if a swift, high-risk solution had been available at the time.
And you can’t deny that certain individuals are seen in particular ways. Because Owami is a professional, never forget that. She is a nursing student. According to what I understand, she doesn’t have several missing persons (reports). It should be high risk from the start since it is out of character.
Miss Davies is without access to her phone or bank cards, and she has no money left on her Oyster card, which she uses to pay for public transportation. Detectives said she could be sleeping on the streets yesterday.
She was discovered on July 6 while waiting for a companion on Clarendon Road in Croydon, dozing in a doorway. She assured the Met Police officers that she did not need their assistance and walked away.
In an effort to locate her daughter, her mother, Nicol Davies, has sent many requests to the general public.
This is such a dreadful moment for everyone who loves Owami, and I am begging for anybody who can assist locate her to call police, she stated earlier this month. Every day we expect to hear that Owami is returning to us; with your assistance, maybe we will.
After working on A&E wards during the epidemic, the student nurse, who was nearing the conclusion of her training, had landed a position at Guy’s and St Thomas’ health trust.
Investigators are scouring 117 reports of sightings of Miss Davies, who had previously gone through depressive episodes for which she required medical attention and had also used alcohol to cope.
Officers said that she had used other names, but they would not say which ones.
Police claim there is no proof that she has been harmed despite the fact that five persons have been detained and released on bail in connection with her disappearance—two on suspicion of murder and three on suspicion of kidnapping.
There is no indication that she has been harmed, Detective Chief Inspector Nigel Penney said yesterday during a press conference. We remain optimistic that we will locate her.
He said, “We’re open to all options and that is one current working hypothesis, that she is in that present condition with her life,” when asked whether she may be sleeping on the streets.
The Met said on Saturday that its detectives had talked with Miss Davies on July 6.
On July 4, Miss Davies left her Grays, Essex, home and was reported missing two days later to Essex Police.
When she was contacted by Met Police officers on July 6, they were unaware that she was a missing person. At the time, she was not listed as missing in the police database.
The lady was only identified as Ms Davies by The Met during their missing person inquiry.
The force said that it talked with its professional standards board and that it is not looking into the officers.
According to Mr. Penney, on Wednesday, July 6, cops were dispatched to the Croydon neighborhood of Clarendon Road. Concerns were raised about the wellbeing of a lady there.
The lady said she didn’t want help, so she departed when officers arrived and phoned the London Ambulance Service.
Body worn camera video of the encounter has been viewed by her family and members of an Independent Advisory Group, but it has not yet been made public.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is debating whether to look into the incident between Miss Davies and the police that day.
At New Scotland Yard on August 3, Nicol Davies, the mother of missing student nurse Owami Davies, addresses the media
On August 3, a police tent could be seen on Derby Road in West Croydon, South London, where Owami Davies is still being sought for.
On August 3, at New Scotland Yard, Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Inspector Nigel Penney discussed the disappearance of Owami Davies.
There is ‘no indication that she’s come to danger,’ he stated during yesterday’s press session.
On July 23, the Metropolitan Police received the missing persons investigation from the Essex Police, and on August 1, the Specialist Crime team took control.
Officers of the Met Police who are looking for Owami Davies released a photo of the WRONG person.
It has come to light that the police who are looking for missing student nurse Owami Davies mistakenly published pictures of another lady, which media outlets subsequently publicized.
On August 7, the Metropolitan Police revealed CCTV photographs they said were of Miss Davies, taken on August 3 at a convenience shop in Croydon.
After realizing their mistake, the force apologized and pulled the photos “hours later.”
“We previously released two still CCTV photographs of a lady at a store that were captioned Owami Davies shop,” the statement said.
Please remove these pictures from any publications since they are not of Owami. We apologize for the mistake and will send you the proper photos as soon as possible.
A Met Police spokeswoman told MailOnline that the primary emphasis should be on attempting to identify Miss Davies amid news of the police’s error from yesterday.
When questioned about claims that the two images of the wrong lady were placed with media outlets for “hours,” they remained silent. They were also asked how they knew the woman was Miss Davies.
The photograph was released incorrectly and was taken down as soon as this was realized, according to a statement from the Met.
It further said that it has actively interacted with the media and has so far released nine information requests.
More than 50,000 hours of CCTV video are being combed through by the police in an effort to track Miss Davies’ whereabouts.
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The inquiry is presently being conducted by around 50 police, who are getting guidance from the National Crime Agency.
The Today show on BBC Radio 4 featured Susannah Drury, head of policy and development at the charity Missing People, who said: “When someone goes missing, it’s tremendously upsetting and frightening for the family.”
They are left with several questions and few information, and they are obviously in need of updates. It’s also awful not knowing what occurred or whether to hope for the best or dread the worse, as Owami’s mother Nicole has said.
And in the center of all of this is a young lady who is missing and in danger, as well as her frightened and heartbroken family. The whole group of them has my sympathy.
The National Crime Agency’s Missing Persons Unit’s Charlie Hedges, a missing persons expert, said on the Today program: “I would ask the question, if it’s OK to spend an excess of £12million on one single case, why couldn’t we have a small portion of that amount to set up a national database to save and help hundreds, if not thousands of people.”
“We can confirm that we received a referral on August 5 from the Metropolitan Police Service in regard to interaction officers made with Owami Davies in Croydon on July 6, after she had been reported missing to Essex Police,” the Independent Office for Police Conduct said in a statement.
“We are now evaluating the information provided to determine what further action may be necessary.”
British Transport Police said on Thursday that Miss Davies could continue often board trains, that she would seem disoriented or confused, and that she might be attempting to talk to ladies who are traveling alone.
According to the Met, “Owami has been depressed and may turn to alcohol to treat her sadness in the absence of her prescription.”
After starting the missing persons investigation, Essex Police said in a statement that “it became evident a substantial number of queries to locate Owami were in London and therefore the investigation to find her was officially passed to the Met on July 23.”
The police department explained: “When someone is reported missing, an evaluation is made to determine the danger of that individual being harmed, including information about their age, present mental health, and susceptibility to being abused. The inquiry often reviews this danger.
“A media appeal is often not the first investigation tool that officer heading the search would look at. A choice regarding whether and when to issue an appeal to the media might depend on what other investigative avenues are open as well as the desires of the family.”
The mere fact that someone’s photograph is made public and they are reported missing suggests that individual is vulnerable, according to the study.
“If we can find someone without making them vulnerable to such a degree of public scrutiny, then we attempt to do so.” The determined urgent danger to that person’s wellbeing, nevertheless, also balances this.