Met Police Slammed Over Handling of Missing Teen’s Case
The tragic death of 19-year-old Richard Okorogheye has exposed shocking failings within the Metropolitan Police. Two weeks after Richard vanished from his West London home, his body was found in a lake in Epping Forest on 5 April 2021. Now, an official probe reveals the police provided an “unacceptable level of service” while handling the case.
Police Watchdog Uncovers Serious Mishandling
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigated complaints from Richard’s mother, Evidence Joel, who says the police brushed her off during the darkest days of her life. The IOPC found multiple officers, including senior staff and call handlers, bungled the response and failed to treat Richard’s disappearance with the urgency it deserved.
“If you can’t find your son, how do you expect us to?” Richard’s mother was told by one call handler, highlighting the dismissive attitude.
Worse still, police failed to correctly log Richard’s sickle cell anaemia condition, recording it simply as anaemia and downplaying vital health risks. This led to delays in classifying him as a missing person and slow escalation of his risk level—from low to medium, then high—only days after his disappearance.
Mother Rejects Met’s Apology
Evidence Joel slammed the Met’s apology as “not accepted,” branding the police’s attitude as dismissive and hinting that racism played a part in how her son’s case was handled.
“In the darkest period of my life, I was dismissed by multiple Metropolitan Police staff at all levels,” she said. “The IOPC report confirms what I always knew.”
The investigation highlighted failures including:
- Incorrect recording of Richard’s medical condition;
- Failure to inform supervisors promptly;
- Ignoring GP concerns about risks related to his sickle cell;
- Insensitivity and inappropriate comments by officers.
Met Deputy Assistant Commissioner Issues Apology
Bas Javid, deputy assistant commissioner of the Met, expressed regret over the force’s shoddy service.
“The service provided after Richard’s disappearance was below the standard the public expects. His risk wasn’t upgraded soon enough, communication with his mother lacked clarity, and one officer made an insensitive comment,” said Javid.
This scandal raises troubling questions over how missing persons cases, especially involving vulnerable minorities, are handled by police forces.
