Could this be the last sighting of Leah Croucher? Police hunting for missing teenager release new image of mystery figure by lake three years after she vanished as her parents say 'each day is torture'
Police hunting for missing Leah Croucher have released new images to mark the third anniversary of her disappearance - as her family today revealed the 'torture' of still having 'no answers' on her whereabouts.
One image from Furzton Lake, near to Leah's home in Milton Keynes, shows the figure of a person dressed in black, who may or may not have been Leah, on the day she was reported missing.Another shows a number of members of the public, who detectives would like to speak to, as they believe they might be able to help the investigation.
Leah, who was 19 years old at the time of her disappearance, was reported missing from Emerson Valley, Milton Keynes, by her family on February 15, 2019. They last saw her at 10pm the day before, February 14 - Valentine's Day.
She was last seen on CCTV down Buzzacott Lane in Furzton, while on her way to work on the morning of February 15, before she 'effectively vanished into thin air'. The last activity on her phone was just after 8.30am that day.
Despite a wide-scale investigation in which police visited 4,000 properties and reviewed 1,200 hours of CCTV, no trace of her has been found and no one has been arrested in connection with the case.
Today Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Andy Howard, from Thames Valley Police, said he hoped the new images would prompt more people to come forward with 'potentially vital' information.
It comes as Leah's family today issued an emotional statement to mark the third anniversary of her disappearance.
In a written statement, issued through Thames Valley Police, Leah's family said each day 'feels like an eternity of pain and despair', but said they remained hopeful she would one day be found.
'It is harder each day to tell ourselves that today will be the day that we get answers, today we find out what happened three years ago,' her parents John and Claire Croucher said in the statement.
Police have today marked the third anniversary of the disappearance of Leah Croucher (pictured) by releasing new images that may help to find out what has happened to her
One image from Furzton Lake, shows a figure of a person dressed in black, who may or may not have been Leah, on the day she disappeared
Another shows a number of members of the public (pictured), who detectives would like to speak to, as they might be able to help the investigation
'It is unimaginable to convince ourselves that this is not a lie we tell ourselves so that we get out of bed each day. Each day is torture.
'It is inconceivable not to worry every second of every single day. Sleep feels an elusive character each night, waking each morning we never feel rested and refreshed.
'Each time the phone rings or there is a knock at the front door, our hearts still leap in our chests.
'That familiar surge of hope springing up in our throats. That familiar wave of despair that crashes over our very souls each time
'It is not the police or Leah herself knocking at the door or calling on the phone.
'Again, we ask for the public’s help. You have all been so wonderful so far, still helping us search every face in the streets to see if they are Leah, still sharing on social media, still reporting possible sightings to the police.'
The night before she went missing, Leah left her home in Milton Keynes between 6pm and 7.15pm. She told her mother Claire Croucher she was seeing a friend.
The police found out she never saw the friend and they do not know where she went or who she was with - or whether she met anyone that night.
Her parents last saw her when she went to bed, with her mother Claire previously saying it was 'the last time I got to say goodnight'.
Last year Claire and her husband John Croucher said they feared someone may have taken Leah as they questioned why she would 'just disappear'.
The search for Leah has seen officers visit more than 4,000 homes in Milton Keynes, while officers have deployed specialist search teams, drones and helicopters.
Marine units and dive teams have conducted searches of lakes across the town but police say they have found no items relating to the missing woman.
Police have also had no more confirmed sightings of Leah beyond the morning of February 15. However their investigation continues.
Alongside the latest released images, which show a black figure beside Furzton Lake, police have also released an image of a woman with a dog they would like to speak to as part of their investigation.
DCI Howard said: 'The image we are releasing today is not of a high quality, but I am hoping that somebody will recognise themselves as being in this picture.
'I am keen to hear from the group of people in this image; it may be that you regularly walk in this area and will recognise yourselves.
'I would also like to hear from the person in the image walking her dog.
'If you have not already got in touch with the police, I would urge you to do so, as you may have a vital piece of information that would be key to this investigation.
'I'm am particularly keen to identify the person seen in the image who is dressed in black.
'This photograph was taken at 10.51am on the morning of 15 February 2019.
'It is not possible from the image to say whether or not the person dressed in black is Leah but we have witnesses in the area of the lake at around this time who describe seeing a young female in black clothing who is described as appearing distracted or upset, and possibly using her phone.
'Despite previous appeals, we have so far been unable to establish the identity of this female and so if you believe this was you or you know who it is, please contact the police.'
'Were you in the area of Furzton Lake between 10.45am and 11.30am on that morning?
'I know this was three years ago, but this image was taken the day after Valentine's Day, and just prior to the school half-term break, and so it may be that you remember being in the area, or you walk in this area regularly.
'I am also aware of another image that has been circulated in the media and community groups suggesting a person being sighted in a barn at a property in Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire.
'We are also aware of other speculation on social media of Leah being linked to this property.
'We were passed this photograph which we investigated using specialist CCTV viewers who reviewed and analysed the image thoroughly.
'We also thoroughly investigated the location in question, and we can categorically rule out that this is Leah in the image.
'A detailed investigation of the property and the barn has provided no evidence of Leah being linked to or having been at that location.'
Leah, who was 19 years old at the time of her disappearance, was reported missing from Emerson Valley, Milton Keynes by her family on 15th February 2019. They last saw her at 10pm the day before, 14 February, St Valentine's Day. Pictured: The last known sighting of Leah on February 15
Leah Croucher seen on CCTV. She was last seen on CCTV down Buzzacott Lane in Furzton, Buckinghamshire while on her way to work on the morning of February 15, 2019 before she 'vanished into thin air'
The last confirmed sighting of Leah was at 8.16am on CCTV in Buzzacott Lane, Furzton, on the morning of 15 February, and the last activity on her phone was just after 8.30am that day. Pictured: Leah Croucher
Leach Croucher went missing from her home in Milton Keynes in February 2019. She was last seen on CCTV the following day near to her home but has not been seen or heard from since
The police say Leah's disappearance remains a mystery and they remain determined to seek the answers for her family and friends.
DCI Howard continued: 'I would again like to appeal directly to the people of Milton Keynes, particularly if you live, commute or exercise in the areas that Leah used on a regular basis.
'As we know, Leah walked to work in Knowlhill most mornings. On Friday 15 February she was seen on CCTV in Buzzacott Lane, Furzton at 8.16am, so we know for certain that she walked that way.
'We would expect her walking route to have taken her past Tellytubby Hill on Dulverton Drive.
'From that point we believe that Leah would have either taken a route north around Furzton Lake or along Loxbeare Drive into Shenley Lodge and north along Faraday Drive.
'This area is a well populated residential area with people commuting, doing the school run or exercising. Given how busy the area is I find it hard to believe that this CCTV clip of Leah at 8.16am is the last time that we know she was seen.
'At around this time a witness saw a female matching Leah's description walking past Tellytubby Hill, approximately 150 yards after the sighting in Buzzacott Lane.
'From the information the witness provided we believe it is likely that it is Leah, however as Leah is not known to the witness it is not possible to say with certainty.
'But this is a busy area and therefore it is highly likely that other people will have seen this same female and we are keen to hear from you.
'We know that the day before Leah's disappearance she took a route (to work?) which led her from Dulverton Drive and along Loxbeare Drive, under H7 Chaffron Way.
'She then took a combination of Faraday Drive and the adjacent redways through Shenley Lodge and into Knowlhill.
'However it appears that this was not the route Leah took to work on 15 February. It is for this reason we are appealing to the people who are local to these areas, and feel that there could still be someone out there with information we need.
'I genuinely believe that there are people in the area that morning who will have seen Leah and who can help the investigation.
'We also know that the evening before Leah went missing, having arrived home from work, she left her address in Emerson Valley between approximately 6pm and 7.15pm.
'We don't know where Leah went during that period and would ask people to think back to that evening in case they were in that area and saw or spoke to Leah. Where was she? Was she with anybody? What was she doing?
'It is three years since Leah went missing, but the fact that we are seeking information about her movements on Valentine's Day and 15 February, which was the last day before half-term, means that hopefully these are dates that people can more readily recall.
'The fact that images taken by Furzton Lake on 15 February have recently been provided to the investigation gives us real optimism that further information is out there that can assist in finding Leah.
'It's never too late to come forward with information to help our investigation, no matter how insignificant it may seem to you.
'The constant anguish that Leah's family have had to live with is never lost on me.
'I make this fresh appeal to the public, particularly the residents of Milton Keynes, to look at the images of Leah and cast your minds back to Friday 15 February 2019, and the evening before, and please get in touch if you have any information that could help us to find answers for Leah's family.
'I would again urge those seen in the new images we are releasing today to please get in touch if you believe any of these people are you.
'You could hold the key piece of information that can help us to locate Leah.
'The response from the public since Leah went missing has been excellent and I know that Leah's case remains very much at the forefront of the minds of the residents of Milton Keynes.
Leah Croucher's mother Claire speaking to media at Milton Keynes Police Station in 2020
John and Claire speaking to media at Milton Keynes Police Station in 2020, as they plead for information one year on from her disappearance
Pictured: Leah Croucher (right) with her sister Jade
Hayden Croucher, the brother of missing teenager Leah Croucher, killed himself after telling a therapist he was finding it difficult to cope and was fixated on hanging himself
'Members of the local community have generously offered a £20,000 reward for information that leads to Leah being found, and that reward is still available.'
Anyone who has information that could lead to the force locating Leah Croucher, is asked to contact 101 quoting reference number 43190049929, or Operation Dawlish.
Information can be left via our dedicated website for this investigation, which is https://mipp.police.uk/operation/43H218A55-PO1/.
Alongside the tragedy of Leah's disappearance, Leah's family also suffered the tragic death of her brother Hayden, who was found hanged in November 2019.
The 24-year-old hanged himself after telling a therapist he was finding it difficult to cope with his sister's disappearance.
Haydon was brought to Milton Keynes hospital for assessment for admission by his therapist Chantelle Tillison. But there were no beds available and he was sent home.
He was found hanging in his flat in Bletchley, Milton Keynes, nine months after Leah disappeared, by his mother Tracey Furness and sister Jade.
He was rushed to hospital where he died two days later on 16 November last year, Milton Keynes coroner's court heard in 2020.
After his inquest, his mother Claire warned there was 'still a lot to learn' from her son's suicide.
In a statement issued through her solicitors Mrs Furness in 2020, she said: 'The family considers the Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust still have a lot to learn from the avoidable death of Haydon and others before him.'
The Trust said it had since changed its time-limited system to allow 24-hour access to Crisis Support, something the family praised.
Meanwhile, Leah's sister Jade Croucher, issued an appeal in July 2019, four months after her disappearance, for Leah to come home.
She said; 'It would be lovely if she messaged me on her birthday.
'Every day I wake up with the hope that we will get a little bit of a breakthrough that Leah is safe and well.
'I'm constantly checking my phone, but so far there has been nothing.'
For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details.
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