Body found in search for missing student Richard Okorogheye

A man's body was found in a pond in Epping Forest this afternoon, police said.

A body has been found in the search for missing student Richard Okorogheye, 19.

The man’s body was found in a pond in Epping Forest this afternoon, police said.

No formal identification has taken place, however Richard’s mother Evidence Joel told MyLondon: ‘Oh God, they said the description matches his, but we’ll go in tomorrow to find out.’

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: ‘Detectives investigating the disappearance of 19-year-old Richard Okorogheye are aware.

‘Richard’s family are being supported by specially trained officers and kept updated with developments.

‘Officers remain at the scene and enquiries continue.’

Richard, who has sickle cell disease, left his family home in the Ladbroke Grove area of west London on the evening of March 22, and was reported missing two days later.

He was last seen on CCTV in Loughton, Essex, in the early hours of March 23, walking towards Epping Forest.

Police divers had previously been seen in a body of water in the woodland.

His mum previously said he had left home without his medication, wallet or jacket and pleaded with members of the public to help find him.

In an appeal directly to the Oxford Brookes University student, Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Danny Gosling said: ‘People can go missing from home for any of number of reasons.

‘Our job is not to cast judgment but to work to find them and bring them home safely.

‘My message to Richard is clear: Our only concern is your safety. You are not in trouble and have done nothing wrong.

‘If you read or hear this message we would ask you to contact us, or someone you trust, to let us know you are safe.’

In a previously confirmed sighting on Monday March 22, Richard was seen boarding the number 23 bus southbound in Ladbroke Grove at 8.44pm.

CCTV footage shows he was wearing all black and had a black satchel bag with a white Adidas logo, worn across his lower back.

Police said he then took a taxi journey from the W2 area of London to a residential street in Loughton in Essex.

He was captured on CCTV walking alone on Smarts Lane, Loughton, towards Epping Forest at 12.39am on Tuesday March 23.

On Thursday, the force said Richard’s phone has not been used since his disappearance.

As someone with sickle cell disease, he would only leave the house to go to hospital for regular blood transfusions for his condition.

His mother previously said that her son had spoken of ‘struggling to cope’ with university pressures and had been shielding during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Speaking to The Guardian, she said waiting for information on her son’s whereabouts has been ‘hell’.

She told the paper: ‘Every day is a nightmare for me now.

‘I feel completely helpless. Helpless, and also, sorry to use this word, but I feel useless. Because I want to go out there, to do something to look for him, search for him, anything.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.