Police seek 11-year-old girl who travelled from Manchester to London
Police are searching for a missing 11-year-old girl who is believed to have travelled to London from Greater Manchester overnight.
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The parents of Fatuma Kadir from Bolton have urged her to let them know she is safe after she left home without their knowledge on Thursday evening before travelling on several trains to get to London Euston at 1.13am on Friday.
Greater Manchester police believe she was at London Bridge tube station at 11.16am on Friday and may be in the area around Tower Bridge. The force said it is “extremely concerned” for her welfare.
CCTV images have shown the girl with a man and a woman – an image of the trio has been released. The force believe the couple were worried about Fatuma and travelled on the same train as her from Bolton to Manchester Piccadilly and then to Birmingham New Street. Police say they did not travel on to London but think Fatuma may have told them where she was going after arriving there and are hoping to trace them.
The schoolgirl’s parents, Asheem and Misra, said they are in a “state of shock”.
In a statement, they said: “We miss you, we want you to come home. We want to at least know you’re safe. You’re not in any trouble. Please contact us or the police. If anyone knows where she is or have seen her, please get in touch with the police. We are in a state of shock. We want to know where she is, who she’s with, but most of all, that she’s safe. Fatuma, Please come home.”
Fatuma was reported missing just before 10.45pm on Thursday night. After inquiries, she was found to have boarded a train from Manchester Piccadilly at 9.27pm to Birmingham New Street before getting on to another train from there at 11.10pm to London Euston.
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Fatuma, who arrived at Euston station alone, is described as an Asian female, is about 5ft 2in (1.6 metres) and of slim build. She was last seen wearing a black headscarf and black dress.
DCI Paul Rollinson, from Greater Manchester police, said: “We are understandably extremely concerned about the welfare of this young girl who was reported missing to us last night as it would seem extremely out of character.
“We’ve been working throughout the night with colleagues from British Transport Police (BTP) and Metropolitan police and are now releasing a CCTV image of the three when they arrived at Manchester Piccadilly train station.
“We want to ensure that the girl is safe and well and would ask for anyone with information – no matter how small it may be – to come forward.”
Detectives say Fatuma had aspirations of owning a clothing company in London and may have travelled to the city to pursue her ambition of setting up a business.
Fatuma was described as “street smart” and “confident”, but Rollinson said she was still “very vulnerable”.
He said: “She’s street smart, she’s got some wits about her. But she’s still very, very vulnerable at 11 years old. She’s never been out on her own, and she doesn’t travel to town centres on her own. She’s not been to London on her own before. But her family have said she’s very intelligent and can be very confident.”
Fatuma is said to have a mobile phone with her but it is currently not working.
Anyone with information can 0161 856 5757 quoting log number 3275 of 22/07/2021 or report it online at www.gmp.police.uk
People can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Source: Thanks msn.com