Missing Investigative Support
Charlene Downes
Long-Term Missing Person
Ongoing
Lancashire Police
3rd November 2003
Blackpool Town Centre
Unknown
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Date of Disappearance:
Last Sighting:
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Family:
Charlene lived in Blackpool with her mum (Karen), dad (Bob), and older sisters (Rebecca and Emma) and younger brother (Robert). They had all previously lived in Walsall, but allegations were made that Bob and Karen were allowing sex offenders into the home, resulting in the assault of all the children.
Other Factors:
Charlene was expelled from school at the time she disappeared for truancy. She was allowed to do as she liked, and her parents often did not know where she was. Charlene was not only experiencing abuse at home, but she was also sexually exploited by several men in the Blackpool area. Charlene had been spoken to by her youth worker in the days before she disappeared for holding hands with a 50-year-old man. Charlene told her youth worker that she was sick of being abused by him. Nothing was actioned about this until after she disappeared.
Date of Disappearance and Activities
On the 3rd November, Charlene left her home with Rebecca and went into town. They reportedly went into Blackpool town centre to the Coral Island amusement park. They were seen on CCTV around 15:25 on the way to the arcade. They stayed there for several hours and then headed to the nearby McDonalds for something to eat. The specific times in which they stayed there are unknown. However, they did head to nearby Church Street where their mum was handing out leaflets. During this time, Charlene made a call to her friends in a phone booth at around 18:45. Charlene said bye to her mums and headed off with her friends.
Charlene and a friend went on to the Carousel bar near to Blackpool pier. They were seen here at around 21:30. Charlene and her friend reportedly headed back into town after visiting the bar, but the time of this is unknown. After 11pm, Charlene was seen back in town with a taller woman, but she was not identified/known. The last sighting of Charlene is depicted in the following picture, with the unidentified woman.
Over the years, Charlene’s exploitation by several grooming gangs in the local Blackpool area came to light. There were also reports that Charlene was murdered and disposed of in a horrific manner. However, forensic evidence has not confirmed this hypothesis.
