6yo girl missing in London, Greenwich - has now been found (updated by MNHQ)

[Theremedy]

From the BBC

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce58e7mjlxko

Mumsnet seems to have quite a large London population I thought it couldn’t hurt to spread the word. I can’t even imagine how scared a 6 year old would be out alone all night.

Yes, some very poor people live here. But they are not all druggies and criminals, you know! Many are hard working, intelligent and aspirational.

Nobody said otherwise.

If the big estates were only full of nasty people, druggies etc nobody would worry this much about the stuff that the decent tenants & leaseholders have to navigate.

That's great. But this isn't some big estate. Just a normal block of flats where the rent is quite pricey.

Anyway, I think the reason is because it was usual and not an aberration and maybe those that did see here didn't clock the PJs.

Yep, people might be used to seeing her/other small children playing out so don’t question it.

Kids being out isn’t only a rough area thing- I live in a ‘naice’ area and little ones play out- because it has always been ‘safe’ (as in no one has been run over/ kidnapped/ disappeared etc) so everyone would see a small kid and unless they were upset might think ‘they look a bit young’, but then would think ‘still, it’s safe round here, they’ll be fine’.

I could put money on this "family" being known to Social Services.

I'm not from London so not familiar with the geography. Looking at google maps, I would be staggered if that poor child is not in the Thames. I hope she is found but the proximity of the river to where she was last seen is concerning

Poor thing not reported for hours

Stuff the estate and the area and everything else - Pray this little 6 year old is found safe and well. At this moment in time this is the only thing that matters. Save the bitching till another day please, have respect and compassion for the family and those involved.

My husband is so nervous of being seen talking to a child alone, in scenarios where he comes across a missing child he will flag down another woman to be present while he sorts it out. He's Asian and has sadly experienced looks and comments from parents when they see him talking to their child (in a perfectly normal place to talk to them, like a soft play or park).

"That's great. But this isn't some big estate. Just a normal block of flats where the rent is quite pricey."

Oh come on. It's huge. Flats upon flats and small houses one after the other. Block after block of flats. People living on top of each other and yes, paying for it too.

And the fact is there are drug problems there (like everywhere). It's not unusual to see kids playing out there, but it is unusual not to know where your kid is until nearly 11pm.

That's normally the reason if they don't release the surname, sadly. But I suppose there could be other reasons.

You can do both at the same time you know?

Obviously I hope and pray that the little girl is found safe. I also hope and pray she’s then taken into care where someone will actually give a shit about her.

That's great. But this isn't some big estate. Just a normal block of flats where the rent is quite pricey.

It's mixed tenure isn't it, that road? That's normal for regeneration. And still right next to "old Thamesmead". But as @incognit said maybe some of the local dealers etc who might be out and about are actually a protective factor for a local child?

I hope she's just lost, anyway.

Nobody is bitching.

God forbid any of us actually think about the nature of risk and how our communities actually work.

@RunningThroughMyHead

Why didn't you secure the house?

This is what I was wondering. Front door lock on the snib, chain on, back door key turned. We bought bolts at B&Q £15 total and got a relly to fit them front & back to be extra sure.

I live in the borough of Greenwich. It's normal in some areas for small children to be playing out. It was explained to me by one family that in their home country children play out as soon as they can walk. They are outside all day and come home for meals. They older children more or less look after the younger ones. This is their cultural expectation, it's not neglect it's just a difference. In some areas a 6 year old child playing out would be pretty standard, not a cause to stop and wring hands or call the police.

I have to agree. The only way I would even slightly excuse the parents would be if (after being put to bed) she escaped out the house and it was reported when the parents checked on her and realised she was gone. I hope she is found safe and well.

Wow. Many straight in with the single mum theory. Anyone stopped to think that her mum might not be ok? A medical emergency, DV even

Yes, this is the sad thing from so many men being perverts, the lovely ones have to watch out too.

My dad was in a park with my children, they were playing on the adventure bit, he was sat alone watching them. 75 years old, walking stick with him, waiting for me to come back from getting ice-creams. He felt so uncomfortable he had to get up and make it clear he was "talking to his grandchildren" (performative grand-parenting!)

Society is so sad when it has come to this and even as a mum I am wary of talking to children in some situations now too.

You are assuming in this speculation that the parents are together or are co-parenting normally.

If however that is not the case, I can easily see why one parent believes the DC is with the other, and does not report them missing until after the set return time (and a bit of time trying to track them down).

But we simply do not know what the family background is here.

What we do know is that a 6 yo is missing in SE London, and she has not been seen since the CCTV images yesterday lunchtime.

I really hope that people in the area might remember seeing her, and give the police new leads.

"Wow. Many straight in with the single mum theory. Anyone stopped to think that her mum might not be ok? A medical emergency, DV even"

You think her mum had a medical emergency and at the same time the little girl goes out to play, goes missing and then someone reports it at nearly 11pm? Seems far fetched but ok.

I can easily see why one parent believes the DC is with the other, and does not report them missing until after the set return time (and a bit of time trying to track them down).

Good point.

Poor little girl. Praying she’s found safe and well. Who cares about the background or anything, the important thing right now is she’s safe and unharmed.

Well kids can walk at 18 months and any parent that sends them out to play without parental supervision are neglecting them in a huge way. It cannot be justified as having different cultural expectations.

Like that little boy in Tulse Hill?

The police wouldn't be so pointed about when the emergency call was made if that were the case here, I think.

I think people are very wary of intervening in anything now, especially when it comes to children. I work in a hospital and last week I was in our M&S getting a coffee as I was on an early and there was a little boy stood at the tills crying with his dad. His Dad had tried to pay for a drink for the little boy but the payment must have failed and he was on the phone with someone, probably asking them to transfer some £ - the M&S supervisor was saying to me 'I'd go get my card to buy the drink myself but I can't leave the tills but the little boy is really thirsty' basically implying that I pay for it, so I said to Dad it's okay I'll get it (feeling pressure from the M&S woman) and bleeped the card. The look he gave me was awful and he said 'You didn't need to do that' and I felt really intimidated. At that point I realised I shouldn't have done it and kicked myself - people are very on edge nowadays and the good samaritan often ends up in trouble!

I hope this little girl gets found. I would have intervened because I am your typical bleeding heart but I can understand why nobody wanted to. It has come to the point with the world and social media as it is that you do think twice.

What crossed my mind, having worked with many in this situation, many nurses and other healthcare workers pulling 12 hour shifts over school holidays will leave younger children in the care of older children.
Something very similar happened to a colleague of mine. Her youngest got hurt and ended up in A&E (the same hospital we were working in), and she didn't find out until she got home that evening.