Graves exhumed in hunt for teenager who went missing Mystery phone call sparks search after 14 years
POLICE probing the disappearance of a young mother searched graves in a Midland cemetery following “crucial” new information which they hope could lead to her killer.
A telephone call from a Black Country phone box was made to detectives probing the 14-year riddle of what happened to 17-year-old Natalie Putt, from Thornleigh, Lower Gornal.
She has not been seen since she left her home to visit a shop in September 2003. She left behind an 11-week-old son when she disappeared.
Detectives believe she is dead – but her body has never been found.
This week officers began examining four sarcophagus graves in Ruiton Cemetery in Gornal – though nothing of significance was discovered. Human remains were not disturbed.
Detective Inspector Ian Iliffe, from the force’s Cold Case Review Team, said: “Unfortunately we found nothing which could give us any clues to Natalie’s whereabouts. But we are continuing to review other locations of interest as a result of information received during the last 24 hours.
“There have been some very significant telephone calls to us.”
He added: “We have been conducting local enquires to locate the man who made the telephone call from the kiosk in Lake Street. I would like to appeal directly to this man – please contact my detectives, you could make a difference to the outcome of this investigation and provide the family with the answers that they deserve and have waited so many years for.
“From the outset, I appealed to two people to come forward and I now believe this person also has answers as to what happened to Natalie.
“All three have provided very similar information, all naming the same per- son as being responsible for the young mum’s death.”
The graveyard operation was mounted after police received new information believed to have been triggered by a TV appeal last weekend.
Det Insp Iliffe said: “All cases are periodically reviewed and the disappearance of Natalie has led us to believe we are looking at a murder enquiry.
“We have had no positive sightings of Natalie in all these years and there has never been any financial activity connected to her bank accounts or any access to health services across the country, which points to the fact that she is no longer alive.”
An 18-year-old local man was arrested in March 2004 in connection with Natalie’s disappearance, but was later released without charge.
In a statement, Natalie’s sisters Becky and Lowri, said: “To hear of the events regarding Natalie’s disappearance is absolutely devastating to all of the family. We are obviously very upset about the developments and as such would ask that our family is left in peace until such time that we hear of definitive news from the police.
“In the near 14 years that Natalie has been missing, we have never given up hope of finding her safe and well.
“Until we know anything to the contrary, this remains the case.”