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Cops searching for missing Leah Croucher, 19, are ‘considering link’ to woman’s severed foot found 130 miles away
POLICE searching for missing Leah Crouser are now reportedly considering a link to a woman’s severed foot that was found 130miles away.
The severed foot seemingly matches the 19-year-old’s details and age, prompting investigators to look into finding a link.
The team dedicated to searching for Leah, who vanished without a trace from Milton Keynes, Bucks., on February 15, are “keeping an open mind” as to whether the foot could belong to her.
It was found on April 25 having been “deliberately dismembered” and left by the footpath in New Waltham, Lincolnshire.
Police did not rule out the possibility that the foot, which has been being examined since it was found over three weeks ago, could belong to the missing teen.
She disappeared while walking to work on Buzzacott Lane, Furzton, Milton Keynes, in the morning just after 8am on February 15.
SEVERED FOOT COULD BE ‘LINK’
Thames Valley Police said three people had reported possible sightings of her near Furzton Lake later in the morning on that day.
When asked whether TVP investigators believed the foot belonged to Leah.
Detective Chief Inspector Andy Howard, of Taplow police station, said: “We are continuing our work into Leah’s disappearance and keeping an open mind into any potential opportunities to identify links to the investigation as necessary.”
Forensic specialists had examined the foot and said it likely belonged to a woman over the age of 16, who is around 160cm tall – which is approximately 5 foot 2 inches.
Leah was described by TVP as five foot two inches tall, of slim build, with below the shoulder length hair, and known to sometimes wears glasses.
Detective Chief Inspector Al Curtis, who is leading the investigation into the foot in New Waltham, said: “Forensic specialists are continuing to assist us with further examination of the foot and small section of lower leg to help establish the circumstances of how it came to be found in the area.
“Initial indications are that it is a woman over the age of 16, who is around 160cm tall – which is approximately 5ft 2in.
“However, this information is from preliminary pathological findings and as such we cannot rule anything out at this stage.
“Pathologists have also indicated that the foot is likely to have been deliberately dismembered and that they believe this has happened at some point during the last 12 months.
“Our main focus is to establish who the woman is and how her foot came to be found here.”
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Despite emotional pleas from the teen’s family, as well as a £5,000 reward having been offered for any information which could lead to her being found, police have not found any trace of her since she disappeared.
The officer in charge of the search, Chief Inspector Neil Kentish, said: “Frankly, our officers who are investigating Leah’s disappearance have never dealt with a case like this before.
“It is extremely rare for someone to go missing without leaving a trace, but this is what has happened to Leah.”