When the original appeal to find missing schoolgirl Evie Lin Barrington went out on Lancashire Live on February 7th, Nicola Bulley had already been missing for 11 days.
At that point, the search for Nicola was in full swing and it would be another week or so before the much-criticised Lancashire police would start admonishing the social media users for speculating online as to her whereabouts.
To hear of another person vanishing suddenly in the same county must have sent shock waves through the area.
The initial appeal for Evie said:
‘An appeal has been launched to find a 13-year-old who has gone missing from Thornton.
Evie Lin Barrington was last seen this morning (Tuesday, February 7) at her home address in the Anchorsholme area. It is thought she left the address sometime between 6.50am and 9am.
PC Zak Sly, of West Division Police, said: “We are extremely concerned about Evie and would ask anybody who has seen her, or knows where she may be, to contact us as soon as possible. Evie, if you see this appeal, please get in touch to let us know where you are. Your family are extremely concerned about you and just want you home safe and sound.”
She is described as white, around 5ft 5ins tall, of slim build, with long, blonde-brown hair worn loose. She has her ears pierced. Police said she looks older and is it thought she will be in black clothing and wearing brown Ugg boots. She has links to Thornton, Cleveleys and Blackpool.’
Fortunately Evie was found safe In Blackpool later the same day. She was tracked down by police, helped by communications with various people via social media.
The good news was announced just after 5pm that day on the same website. It read: ‘A 13-year-old girl who was reported missing from her home in Thornton has been found safe and well. Evie Lin Barrington was reported missing after she had last been seen this morning (February 7) at her home address in the Anchorsholme area. It is thought she left the address sometime between 6.50am and 9am.
Police have now confirmed that Evie has been found safe and well. Officers said: “She was found this afternoon safe and well in Blackpool. The power of social media has once again helped in locating this missing person and we thank everyone who has phoned in with information.’
There are no further details as to how Evie was found but the general takeaway from the short articles published that day indicate that without the input of the public on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter end Instagram, it may have taken longer to find her.
At a press conference held on the 15th February with regards to Nicola Bulley, however, Lancashire police were no longer praising social media and instead stating that the comments from the public online were hampering the investigation. It was as if they were telling the general public to keep their noses out of it. Why?
It’s all very confusing: one week, the police are relying on social media for help finding a missing person and the next they’re dismissing it. Despite the police admitting that Evie was located through the power of social media and that a member of the public (a 33-year-old psychic from Oldham) found Nicola Bulley’s body whilst out walking with a friend, they’re still urging the public to mind their own business. So does social media help in missing persons investigations or can the public getting involved do more harm than good?
Lancashire police don’t seem to have made their mind up on that.
Jacqui Deevoy has been a full time freelance journalist for more than three decades. Over the last few years, she’s lost faith in the MSM and now prefers to work for news outlets that deal in truth, not lies.
In 2021, she launched a personal investigation into euthanasia in the NHS and this resulted in her producing the shocking documentary ‘A Good Death?’ She is currently crowdfunding for a second film – ‘Playing God’ – due for release soon.
She produces and presents the UNN Friday night show – a sometimes serious but often irreverent chat-fest with an array of fascinating guests talking on a wide range of subjects. She’s also one of UNN’s lead reporters.
Follow Jacqui on Twitter @JacquiDeevoy1
