‘Significant possibility’ missing mother Victoria Taylor entered river, say police
9 October 2024, 14:55 | Updated: 9 October 2024, 15:11
Police have said there is a "significant possibility" that missing mother Victoria Taylor went into a river.
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Chief Superintendent Fiona Willey of North Yorkshire Police, said there was "no indication" that anyone else was involved in any way in Ms Taylor's disappearance, after she vanished on September 30 in North Yorkshire.
A number of her personal possessions were found close to the River Derwent in the town.
The last CCTV sighting of Ms Taylor, 34, was at 12.30pm near a playground not far from the river. She was seen around 40 minutes earlier a short walk away. Police said there was no indication she had got on a bus.
"We're still treating this as a missing person inquiry," Willey told reporters on Wednesday afternoon.
She added: "As with any investigation we are very open minded and will continue to explore all lines of inquiry based on the discovery of Victoria's belongings so close to the water's edge, we must accept the significant possibility that Victoria has entered the River Derwent."
‘Significant possibility’ missing mother Victoria Taylor entered river, say police
Willey said: "Searches are currently... taking place in the river, and those searches have been taking place above and below the water surface. The team are using specialist sonar equipment which gives officers a view below the surface. This search is slow and complex, and the team are working methodically in very difficult conditions.
"The use of this specialist resource will continue in the coming days, and we are very much supported by this work on a national level, by police and advisers, additional specialist police search officers are using drones to scour the rural close rural areas close to where Victoria's possessions were also found.
"Over the coming days, we will continue our search to find Victoria and ensure that we are doing all that we can support the family."
She added: "Understandably, the disappearance of Victoria has shocked the local community and the family take comfort in the overwhelming amount of support from people, both locally and further afield, we have seen a small amount of misinformation and speculation which is not helpful and is causing unnecessary anguish to Victoria's family.
"At this time, Victoria's family have made it clear on various social media platforms following the sharing of this inaccurate information, but their wish is to work only with North Yorkshire Police in our efforts to locate Victoria, and they have asked that I take this opportunity to reiterate their position.
"And finally, we have taken advice on a national level to ensure that we are doing all that we can to achieve the best possible outcome for Victoria and her family. And as head of local policing for North Yorkshire Police, I have every confidence in our ongoing response to the missing person search for Victoria."
