Corrie McKeague's mother accuses police of "giving up" on finding her son
The mother of missing RAF gunner Corrie McKeague has accused the police of having “given up” on finding her son.
The mother of missing RAF gunner Corrie McKeague has accused the police of having “given up” on finding her son.
Nicola Urquhart said Suffolk Police “kept back” information from the family about calling off the search at a landfill where they believe his remains are.
In a press conference on Friday, Detective Superintendent Katie Elliott said extensive searches yielded no further trace of the 23-year-old serviceman, who disappeared from Bury St Edmunds following a night out in September.
Writing on the Find Corrie Facebook page, Ms Urquhart said: “(Police) firmly believe Corrie is in the landfill.
“Yesterday's decision to stop searching at the landfill means they have now given up on finding Corrie.
“Suffolk Police have handed back the landfill and are trying to have it filled back in this week.
“They have known this information for weeks but held it back from me.
“I was promised four hours to be able to discuss this press release with my sons and was given it 20 minutes prior to the press release going live on national TV. Darroch (Corrie's brother) had to find out about this by watching it on Facebook.”
Ms Urquhart said she is considering taking out an injunction to stop officers filling in the 48-hectare Milton landfill site “until there is more honesty and plain speaking from the police”.
Police said Mr McKeague, from Fife in Scotland but based at Honington in Suffolk, had a history of falling asleep in unusual places, including in bins.
A bin lorry was seen on CCTV near Brentgovel Street in the town around the time Mr McKeague was last seen, and it took a route which appeared to coincide with the movements of his phone.
The bin lorry linked to the disappearance of Mr McKeague was initially thought to have collected an 11kg (1st 10lb) load, but police said it was later found to be more than 100kg (15st 10lb).
Ms Elliott, who said any new lines of inquiry would be pursued “vigorously”, added: “We have searched the whole area where we believed Corrie could be.
“We had compelling information that directed us to this area, however we haven't found Corrie and this is bitterly disappointing.
“It's never been about money in this investigation.
“We have searched the areas where we have information where that waste was deposited.
“Beyond that it's very difficult to establish exactly where we would search for Corrie.”
Asked if she thought Mr McKeague was still on the landfill site, she replied: “I do.”
Mr McKeague's girlfriend April Oliver announced last month that the missing serviceman had become a father with the birth of their daughter.