You may recognise Suzanne Lawrence from the two e-fits The Met has shared
A sister is begging for the truth almost 50 years since her sibling went missing. Suzanne Lawrence, then 14, was from Harold Hill, East London, and was reported missing in the summer of 1979.
She and her then 13-year-old sister, Michelle, left home on July 27, 1979, and told their mum they’d stay with friends in Dagenham. But Michelle went back five days later, July 31, after the two had a row.
Michelle told police they had met three boys, who were around 14 to 17, at a fair in Highbury Fields. They took them to a nearby squat, but Michelle couldn’t find it when police took her to the area. At the time, police thought Suzanne may have joined a travelling fair, but they couldn’t track her down.
Police have released two e-fits as to what Suzanne may look like now, and she has a distinctive lazy right eye.
‘No family should have to endure such uncertainty for so long’
In a heartfelt plea Michelle said: “I was the last member of the family to be with my sister before she disappeared.
“We left home together and for a period we were both trying to survive away from home. Eventually I returned, but Suzanne did not.
“Many years have passed, but not a day goes by without wondering what happened to her. Our mother is now elderly and, like me, has lived for decades without knowing what became of her daughter. No family should have to endure such uncertainty for so long.
“If anyone remembers seeing us, helping us, giving us somewhere to stay, or speaking to my sister during those days in the summer of 1979, please come forward. Even the smallest piece of information could be important. If my sister is alive, I want her to know that she has never been forgotten.
If anyone knows what happened to her, I ask them to do the right thing and speak to the police. Our family simply wants the truth and the opportunity to finally understand what happened.”
Investigation lead Detective Chief Inspector Kam Sodhi said: “We’re committed to getting answers for Suzanne’s family, even after all these years. After they left the family home, Suzanne and her younger sibling are believed to have experienced a brief period of homelessness.
“During that period, we believe that three boys aged approximately 14 to 17 years, believed to be from the Highbury or Islington area, met the sisters and took them to a local squat. I believe these individuals may hold vital information about Suzanne’s movements after her sister returned home and I would urge them to come forward.”
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