Fears grow as police hunt continues for 'shy and timid' missing 16-year-old girl
POLICE are searching for a "very shy and timid" missing teenage girl as fears grow over her sudden disappearance from her home last week.
Becky Watts, 16, was last seen at her home in St George, Bristol, at around 11.45am on Thursday, February 19.
The teenager received a text message from her best friend just nine minutes before she disappeared.
Courtney Bicker sent Becky, who is currently resetting her GCSEs at the KTS Training college in the Fishponds area of Bristol, a greeting just before she left home with no spare clothes, make-up, purse, or phone charger.
Becky's mobile has been turned off ever since.
Her family say Becky is introverted and would not even go to the shops by herself.
Police forensics teams have conducted "routine" searches of the house Becky shares with her father Darren Goldsworthy, 51, and his wife Anjie, 49, as well as the home of her boyfriend, Luke Oberhansli, 17.
Meanwhile, people in the local area have been conducting a search for the schoolgirl this afternoon.
Miss Bicker said: "I've got no idea whatsoever what has happened.
"It's really like she has disappeared with no trace.
"I sent her a message at 11.06am and it went through to her phone, but I sent her a message the following morning and it didn't go through.
"I didn't really think much of it. I thought that maybe her phone was off and maybe she was asleep."
She added: "I'm just really confused and scared. I'm just literally waiting by the phone for someone to call and say she is back home.
"I like to hope she has just run away and will come back when she is ready, but this is so unlike her.
"She wouldn't go to the shops on her home. She makes someone go to the shop till for her and buy her bus ticket.
"If she was going outside she would meet somebody near by. She wouldn't walk long distances on her own.
"She wouldn't walk out at night on her own.
"When she used to come round mine, she would make me walk her back home. She doesn't like walking back in the dark."
Becky's father Mr Goldsworthy told local radio station JackFM: "She had stayed at a friend's house the previous night, she had come home on the Thursday morning, had her shower, got changed, and we haven't seen her since.
"She's very shy and timid - not around us she isn't, and her very close friends, but anyone outside of that she wouldn't be able to talk to them.
He added: "This just doesn't add up. None of her clothes are missing, her washbag is here, her toothbrush is here, her make-up is still here.
"She would not leave the house without all her make-up and stuff on. It's been absolute hell on earth. I've not been able to eat or sleep since she's gone missing.
"We just need her back home. Someone out there knows something. I just want my girl back."
I want to find her, the sooner the better.
tective Inspector Richard Ocone, of Avon & Somerset Police, said officers are ploughing all the resources they can into finding Becky.
He said: "We have officers on the ground, dog handlers and the helicopter.
"We are continuing to search a number of open land searches, this is routine and we are just looking for anything Becky might have dropped or any clue as to where she might be.
"We're urging anyone who might have seen Becky or who has any information to come forward.
"We've printed hundreds of posters and our officers will be handing them out on the street.
"Being a 16-year-old girl we know Becky is very media savvy, we're asking for people to start using the hashtag on Twitter #FindBecky.
"We also have a dedicated Facebook page for people to contact us with any information.
"Becky has a wide range of friends and relatives and we've not been able to contact everyone so we're keen for anyone we haven't yet spoken to, to get in touch.
"Becky has a close group of friends and it is not unusual for her to go away for a night which is why there was a slight delay in reporting her missing.
"As time goes by my worry increases, as does that of the family, obviously we're six days in now so we're very keen to find her.
"I want to find her, the sooner the better.
"Until recently she was very active on social media and obviously it's concerning that she is not using it now.
"We're supporting the family the best we can but as you imagine their 16-year-old daughter is missing and this is very upsetting for them."
If you have any information call Avon & Somerset Police on 101 quoting reference MP 591/15. To give information anonymously, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
