The parents of Charlene Down, who disappeared when she was 14, have file a fresh appeal seeking closure in the case that has haunted then for decades, according to the BBC. The Hunt for Ms Down is also one of Lancashire Police's longest-running missing person inquiries. She was last seen in November 1, 2003. The police believe she was killed and even opened a murder inquiry but despite arrests, trials and Rs 1 crore reward, no one has ever been convicted.
What happened to Charlene Down?
The BBC said that Ms Down went to a local bar in Blackpool, the town where she lived, from home at 9.30pm (local time) on the day she disappeared.
At 11pm (local time), the police spotted her with another woman in the CCTV footage. That was the last time anyone saw her. Ms Down was officially reported missing on November 3, 2003.
The police investigation
A year after Charlene disappeared, information was passed to police that led to the launch of a murder inquiry. Police were "hoping for the best, but fear the worst".
Two men were charged in connection with Charlene's murder but a jury was unable to reach a verdict. A retrial later collapsed.
Lancashire Police faced criticism over its handling of the case following an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission, the body subsequently replaced by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
Was she sexually exploited?
A decade after investigating the case, the Lancashire Police said they believe Charlene Downes is one of a number of girls who were sexually exploited in Blackpool.
During their search, the police questioned more than 3,000 people and became aware to the huge number of vulnerable girls - some as young as 11 - being targeted by male sex offenders in Blackpool.
On the day of her disappearance, Ms Down's parents hosted a man later revealed to be a convicted paedophile. Their guest had pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual abuse of ten-year-old children. The parents later said they were unaware of his convictions.
Ms Down had three siblings: Emma, Becki and Robert Jr. Young Robert died in 2021 due to a heroin overdose.
What her parents want now
Ms Down's parents have filed a fresh appeal for information about what happened to their "lovely, cheeky, bubbly" girl.
"Somebody knows something somewhere and we ask them to come forward and please, end our nightmare," Mrs Downes was quoted as saying by the BBC earlier this month.
"Hope is all we can do and we just hope that one day something will happen and we can get some justice or some closure for Charlene," she added.
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