WE WANT NAOMI BACK
HEARTBROKEN PARENTS’ APPEAL TO DAUGHTER WHO WENT MISSING MORE THAN TWO WEEKS AGO
THE parents of a missing teenage girl who is thought to be with a 20-year-old man have made an emotional appeal for her return.
Police are hunting for missing Naomi Rees, 15, who disappeared from her house in Rhydyfelin near Pontypridd on August 15 – more than two weeks ago.
Speaking from their home, Peter and Grace Rees assured their daughter she was not in any trouble and they just wanted her home safe.
In an emotional message, they told how their daughter’s GCSE results were still lying unopened and pleaded with her to get in touch with them.
The couple said they feel torn to bits and described their daughter as loving, caring and kind, with an infectiously bubbly personality.
Naomi’s mother Grace, who described their ordeal as a “nightmare”, said: “This is not Naomi. She is a very caring girl. She loves people and is very trusting.
“Right now, all we talk about, all we breathe is Naomi. Naomi, like her two sisters, is our world. We love her so much. It is so hard. We want her home.”
In a direct plea to Naomi, she said: “Naomi, please come home. It does not matter what has gone on. We love you so much.
“Just come to us – come back home. We are here, we are waiting and we will never give up on you – our arms are always open. Wherever you are now, you know how much you mean to us so please find a way to get back to us.
“Mum loves you. Dad loves you. Your sisters are in bits. We cannot carry on like this.
“Your nanny, your friends, everybody is just rallying around wanting to know how you are. We want to be able to tell them you are okay. We are never going to give up on you.
“Wherever you are right now, you know what you mean to us. Please, just find a way to come back to us because we are hurting so, so much.”
When asked what their daughter was like, father Peter said that she was a very sporty girl, who was very artistic.
He said: “She is a really bubbly, infectious character.”
The couple said that their daughter’s disappearance was totally out of character.
Peter said: “She has been brought up to recognise right from wrong and dangers. She likes to look after people. It has completely baffled us about how she has got into this.”
With a voice breaking with emotion her mum added: “This is not Naomi. She is a very, very caring girl. She loves people and very trusting. She would bend over backwards for others. She is just a lovely girl.
“It is like our life is over right now. All we talk about, all we breathe is Naomi. Just like our other two daughters, she is our world. We love her so much.”
Her father said they were just “lost” without her.
The family say they have had lost of support from family and friends.
Naomi’s friends have been phoning them regularly and thousands of people have been praying with the family.
Grace said: “Everybody is just rallying around, and all the time wanting to know how you are. We want to be able to tell them how you are.”
Talking about her unopened exam results, her dad said: “Everyone is expecting her to do well.
“We just want her to come home and pick those results up.”
South Wales Police believe she could be with Tomas Baker, 20, from Tamworth in Staffordshire, and they are appealing for them to make contact.
Her parents also encouraged him to help get Naomi home.
In a direct message to Tomas Baker, Peter said: “I hope he can do the right thing.
“If he is a decent guy he would realise how much this family is hurting and he would ensure she gets home to us.”
Grace said: “Our arms are open for you Naomi. Please help us if you can, we just want her back home so much.”
Officers have scoured CCTV footage and managed to trace Naomi getting on a bus on Cardiff Road, Rhydyfelin, at 7.46am on Wednesday, August 15. The bus headed into Pontypridd town centre.
Further CCTV footage then puts Naomi on Bridge Street walking into Ynysangharad War Memorial Park at 8.06am.
Inquiries are continuing to establish where Naomi went after that.
In the footage, Naomi is wearing a long scarf, a dark jacket, dark jeans, and black trainers with white soles. She is also carrying a holdall.
Detective Inspector Arabella Rees said: “Naomi is a teenage girl who hasn’t been seen for two weeks. No contact has been made so of course we are worried for her safety. We are working with policing colleagues across the UK and we are following up information we have had from a very supportive public.”
She added: “Our investigation is focused on South Wales and also areas which run along the Wales border into the Midlands. Other police forces are assisting us and we are asking members of the public to help us. Naomi is a child – she needs to be with her parents. My appeal to her is to let us know you are safe.”
Anyone with information is asked to call South Wales Police on 101 quoting reference number 310545 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.