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Police spoke to nursing student Owami after family reported her missing

Police watchdog is told Met Police officers spoke to Owami Davies over concerns for her welfare but were unaware of her reported disappearance

Picture of missing nursing student Owami Davies
Owami Davies

The police watchdog is considering whether to investigate the Metropolitan Police after it was revealed officers had contact with nursing student Owami Davies the night she was reported missing.

Ms Davies, who was nearing the end of her university studies at King’s College London, was reported missing by her family to Essex Police on 6 July. She had left the house two days earlier saying she was going to the gym.

On Saturday the Metropolitan Police, who took over the investigation on 23 July, revealed that its officers had spoken to Ms Davies on the evening of 6 July at an address in Croydon. However, it was not established until a week later that the encounter had been with the missing nursing student.

The matter has now been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Officers are not currently subject to any investigation over the incident.

Interaction with Ms Davies was recorded on officers' bodycams and has been viewed by her family

A spokesperson for the Met told the Nursing Standard they were called to Clarendon Road in Croydon on 6 July due to concerns for the welfare of a woman at the location.

‘Officers attended and called the London Ambulance Service, but the woman stated she did not want assistance and left. At the time of the call, Owami was not marked as a missing person on national police systems. She had only been reported to her local force as missing earlier the same day.

‘As a result of the subsequent missing person investigation, it was later confirmed – on 13 July – that the woman officers had spoken to was Owami.’

Police say the interaction with Ms Davies, who had secured a job after graduation with Guy's & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, was recorded on the officers' bodycams and has now been viewed by her family.

Officers have reportedly trawled 10,000 hours of CCTV footage in a bid to find clues to her whereabouts, and last week issued a fresh appeal saying they were concerned that she could be in Croydon and ‘in need of help’.

They added: ‘Owami has been depressed and in the absence of her medication may use alcohol to relieve her depression.’

On Thursday, British Transport Police (BTP) tweeted that the 24-year-old could still be regularly taking trains, may appear dazed or confused, and may be seeking to engage with women travelling alone.

Anyone with information regarding her whereabouts is asked to call the police on 101 or tweet @MetCC quoting reference 22MIS025307, or to contact the Missing People charity in confidence by calling or texting 116 000.

Information can also be given to CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.


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