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Original poster

Student nurse missing last seen in Croydon

149 replies

christmas2022 · 03/08/2022 13:16

How has this woman been missing for three weeks and we have barely had a sniff of it in the media. I hadn't seen anything at all until the last couple of days.

I don't believe that she has been found and can only hope this poor lady is found safe and well.

OP posts:
ShowOfHands · 04/08/2022 08:29

DH is a copper and there are missing people reported every day. Sometimes they put out appeals very quickly and pull all hands on deck. Sometimes, they keep very quiet and say nothing. Sometimes, they release limited and carefully worded information.

In 99% of cases they know very quickly indeed what has happened.

You're 100% right about the racial biases in reporting but often there's more to it where missing persons are concerned.

ILikeHotWaterBottles · 04/08/2022 08:55

Sadly the media prefers white, blonde, young, female and pretty for their lost cases. Brunette isn't so bad, but being black? Nope not interested. It's pathetic and disgusting. There is actually a man who has been missing for months now in the Highlands, no talk about him either.

There are many missing people, but they tend to be found quickly, like kids having gone to a different house than they said. Going missing for weeks or months should be on the news.

redhearts · 04/08/2022 09:00

The news article you posted OP you need to scroll the whole way down to see a clear picture of Owami.
The media really need to help in cases like this and Owami's face is the first thing we should see rather than some blurry cctv

Onceuponatimethen · 04/08/2022 09:02

I totally agree op. The disparity in coverage is just plain racism.

I really hope her family will get answers if she very sadly has been killed.

picklemewalnuts · 04/08/2022 09:05

I get frustrated about the discussion of these cases.
People go missing all the time. All the time. Loads of them.
In my area, the same children are reported constantly, within a week of them returning home they are missing again. Men go missing. Women less often strangely- perhaps they tend to be more connected to networks, or less able to simply walk away.

Sarah Everard was the outlier, for the publicity her case generated. There were contributing factors to why her story took off, that were nothing to do with her.

We have to focus on the VAWAG and not be distracted. That's the story here.

x2boys · 04/08/2022 09:15

This is awful
But I'm not sure it's fair to compare her to Sarah Everard ,Sarah's friends were very active in getting her disappearance ,out in the public eye ,and when it became apparent that it was a serving police officer in the met that murdered her that is going to capture public interest ,because of the very specific nature
A girl i was at university with was murdered in a very brutal fashion by a a stranger ,she was a young white women, but unlike a lot of brutal murders ,it was never high profile ,for whatever reason

alnawire · 04/08/2022 09:23

I'd imagine the police had a good deal of info and were following it up eg number plate of van, So it wasn't a mystery. Also it wasn't an area where there are many passers by to appeal to. I would think local people would know about it. 3 men have been arrested.

I think the fact that they had the idea information might be part of the reason the case (I know it sounds bad but I don't know how else to describe it) wasn't made public. I suspect the police were gathering evidence to make the arrests and then going public. If the police launched an appeal before the arrests giving the information they have now, it just gives the men who have since been arrested an insight and opportunity to destroy or hide more evidence. Sadly I think the police know what has happened

Sharrowgirl · 04/08/2022 10:01

ShowOfHands · 04/08/2022 08:29

DH is a copper and there are missing people reported every day. Sometimes they put out appeals very quickly and pull all hands on deck. Sometimes, they keep very quiet and say nothing. Sometimes, they release limited and carefully worded information.

In 99% of cases they know very quickly indeed what has happened.

You're 100% right about the racial biases in reporting but often there's more to it where missing persons are concerned.

This. The police mentioned she is vulnerable and it seems like they had some early leads to quietly investigate. Not every case benefits from the missing person’s face being immediately plastered all over the media.

Intimes22 · 04/08/2022 10:09

look at the bennylyn burke case.She and her toddler were murdered while her 7 yr old was raped. Was on the news but barely.

MassageForLife · 04/08/2022 10:18

YoSofi · 04/08/2022 07:46

Oh come on, if she was white it would be all over the news.

She is not just another missing person, men have been arrested on suspicion of murder so foul play is suspected.

I say the above as a white woman.

Yes, I agree. If she was black or male or white and unattractive, it would get less media attention, than if she was white and photogenic.

loveislouderthanwar · 04/08/2022 10:20

I am a true crime addict and only heard about it this morning with a tiny piece on the news.

It's scary, I pray she is found safe but given it's been a month I'm not holding any hope.

alnawire · 04/08/2022 10:20

Yes, I agree. If she was black or male or white and unattractive, it would get less media attention, than if she was white and photogenic.

I don't doubt this happens and it was immediate thought when I read the OP but after looking at the links that have been posted I'm more inclined to think they already know what has happened to her and there would have been no benefit in posting a missing person appeal. They are looking for evidence now sadly.

Algbu6 · 04/08/2022 14:48

There always benefit in posting a missing person even after someone's died police appeal so I don't really agree with you on that point.

PineapplePear · 04/08/2022 15:00

I couldnt believe she had been missing all that time and no/little press coverage. I’m guessing if there have been arrests, police have been certain for sometime that this wasn’t just another ‘missing person’.

Its disgusting that a young woman can go missing like that with such little media attention. Really think there needs to be answers on why - only reason I can think is because she is black, and if true, that is horrendous and can’t happen again.

Thoughts to her family and friends.

alnawire · 04/08/2022 15:05

Algbu6 · 04/08/2022 14:48

There always benefit in posting a missing person even after someone's died police appeal so I don't really agree with you on that point.

Im saying that it is possible the police decided that it was better for their investigation to wait. I don't expect everyone to agree but simply saying 'there is always benefit' with no understanding of the case makes no sense.

Algbu6 · 04/08/2022 15:21

@alnawire the original point that you have missed though repeatedly that this isn't a one off. It's often like this. You don't know any more than I do that's not whats making sense. I wasn't the one going against the grain you are ..... do you actually have anything to add on the lack of coverage when it comes to black and Asian people???

alnawire · 04/08/2022 15:24

Algbu6 · 04/08/2022 15:21

@alnawire the original point that you have missed though repeatedly that this isn't a one off. It's often like this. You don't know any more than I do that's not whats making sense. I wasn't the one going against the grain you are ..... do you actually have anything to add on the lack of coverage when it comes to black and Asian people???

Not really, no. I was talking about this particular situation because that is what the thread is about.

Comefromaway · 04/08/2022 15:26

My dd lives in Croydon and I didn't know about it.

jcyclops · 04/08/2022 16:20

Of course there is bias in this situation - on multiple levels.

eg. On reading "Student nurse missing last seen in Croydon" how many of you thought young female? 11% of student nurses are male, and not all student nurses are young. Also, does the fact that she is a student nurse make it more important and/or reportable than a missing cleaner or shop assistant and less important than a missing junior doctor? It should be "Missing woman (24) last seen in Croydon four weeks ago"

Original poster
christmas2022 · 07/08/2022 14:07

Owami Davies: Fifth arrest over missing student nurse www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-62450061

5th person arrested

OP posts:
AllPlayedOut · 07/08/2022 20:02

I saw that earlier about a 5th person being arrested. It just keeps getting worse and worse. I know that Owami hasn't been found yet and that no one has been convicted yet but the details that are emerging paint such a horrifying picture.

Wouldloveanother · 07/08/2022 20:58

God what happened to that poor girl? Too little too late from the racist media… that video of her mum brought me to tears, I can’t imagine what she’s going through. Just awful.

neveradullmoment99 · 10/08/2022 23:29

Poor girl. Hoping she is found safe and well although they are thinking it's murder? Does that seem to indicate they have some evidence.
A 5th person arrested...sounds very grim.

AdultsSocialCare · 11/08/2022 06:23

It all seems to be taking so long. Her poor family in the meantime it must be awful for them.

Motnight · 11/08/2022 06:49

I have been thinking about this over the last few days. The whole situation is awful.