Owami Davies: Family’s ‘deep gratitude’ after student nurse is found ‘safe & well’ 7 weeks after going missing – Efaff News

THE family of a student nurse who vanished without trace nearly two months ago say they are “forever grateful” after she was found alive and well today.

Mystery continues to surround the disappearance of Owami Davies, who was last seen walking north along London Road in Croydon on July 7.

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Five people were arrested in connection with her disappearance – two on suspicion of murder – and numerous appeals for information have been made.

But the Met Police revealed today that the 24-year-old was found safe and “well looked-after” in Hampshire, 100 miles from her home in Grays, Essex.

Some 50 officers had been tasked to hunt for her. They had trawled through 117 reported sightings and 50,000 hours of CCTV footage as they frantically worked to retrace her steps.

The 118th report, made at 10.30am today, led to her being found.

Tonight, Owami’s family took to Twitter to tell of their relief.

“Good evening everyone, Owami Davies has been found,” they said.

“Found alive and safe. We spoke to her. We, the Davies family, would like to express our deepest gratitude to each and every one of you wherever you are, whoever you are.

“Thank you for your well wishes, love, hugs, and thoughts.

“Together we searched far and beyond. We are forever grateful.”

King’s College London student Owami vanished after telling her mum she was off to the gym.

Both the Met and Essex Police have faced criticism amid reported failures in the case. Scotland Yard officers spoke to her the same day that she was reported missing to Essex Police – July 6 – after being called to concerns for a woman sleeping in a Croydon doorway. 

The matter was later referred to the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which is assessing whether to take further action.

The force also accidentally released CCTV footage of another woman and failed to appeal for the public’s help until three weeks after she disappeared.

Today, Detective Chief Inspector Nigel Penney from the force’s Specialist Crime Command said: “This is clearly the outcome we were hopeful for – the finding of the missing lady, Owami Davies. 

“I’d like to say she has been found safe and well outside the London area in the county of Hampshire and she’s currently with specialist officers from my team.

“She looks in good health, she’s in a place of safety, and not currently in the vulnerable state that we were led to believe she was in at the start of her disappearance.”

Met Commander Paul Brogden said “all aspects” of the investigation are now to be reviewed to assess whether there is ‘any learning that we need to take’ from how it was handled.

Thank you for your well wishes, love, hugs, and thoughts… we are forever grateful

Both Mr Brogden and Mr Penney said they were “ecstatic” at the outcome of the case, with the Met Commander adding: “More importantly I’m pleased for Owami’s mother and her brother.”

Owami’s colleagues at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust said this evening: “We are delighted that our colleague Owami has been found and is safe.

“Thank you to everyone who helped to find her.”

Officers confirmed that all five of those arrested were released and are still on police bail.

A decision on what will happen next will follow a “full debrief”.

Mr Penney added the Met will speak to Ms Davies and try to establish what led to her disappearance.

“Owami will be spoken to and we’ll try to fathom reasons as to how she disappeared, why she disappeared, and if there was any concern around the days and weeks while she was disappeared for us to be concerned about,” he said.

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