"It's not too late to come forward...": The mystery of a missing 14-year-old girl
01.11.2023 - 08:17
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Detectives have launched a major new appeal 20 years on from the disappearance in Blackpool of 14-year-old Charlene Downes. The teenager was last seen by her mum when she went out with friends on the last night of the 2003 Blackpool Illuminations.
The schoolgirl is believed to have been murdered but with no body recovered and no-one held accountable, the search for answers goes on. Charlene's disappearance sparked one of the largest investigations in Lancashire Police's history.
Today, one of the force's most senior officers issued a fresh appeal, saying: "We are still listening. We've never stopped looking for Charlene, we've never stopped investigating her disappearance and we've never stopped trying to find those responsible for her disappearance."
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A £100,000 reward for information about what happened to Charlene remains on offer and renewed pleas for answers were issued on the anniversary.
Detective Chief Superintendent Pauline Stables, the force's head of crime, told LancsLive: "Twenty years on, we want to make a fresh appeal to those who know what happened to Charlene or even are responsible for what happened and for whatever reason have not felt able to come forward over the last 20 years.
"I want to appeal to those people to say it's not too late to come forward, it's not to late to give answers and get closure for Charlene's family.
"Her parents have spent 20 agonising years not knowing what's happened to their daughter. It's our number one goal to get answers for Charlene's family and to get justice."
Charlene was last