Milton Keynes father of missing Leah Croucher insists she didn't run away

Leah Croucher was NOT running away when she disappeared without trace 200 days ago, her distraught father has insisted this week.
Leah CroucherLeah Croucher
Leah Croucher

In a renewed appeal for public help, taekwondo instructor John Croucher described the agony of not knowing where his daughter is or what happened to her on the morning she vanished.

He said: "She was on her way to work. She never arrived. Her clothes are still at home. Her money is still in the bank. Her phone is still unused. Her toothbrush is still in its holder. She was just on her way to work - as normal."

John stressed: "SHE WASN'T RUNNING AWAY. SHE FOLLOWED HER NORMAL MORNING ROUTINE."

Leah CroucherLeah Croucher
Leah Croucher

Leah, whose 20th birthday was last month, has not been seen since the morning of February 15, when she was spotted on CCTV walking her usual route between her Emerson Valley home and her Knowlhill workplace.

John said: "We have missed her for 200 days. Special days are even harder than ordinary days. It feels as if water torture would be kinder than this.

"How can there be no news? How can the sightings across the country that are still being reported by the wonderful public not be her? How can there be so many people willing to help, willing to still be on the lookout - and not find her?"

He has asked people to think back carefully to February 15, the day after Valentine's Day.

Leah CroucherLeah Croucher
Leah Croucher

He said: "Someone you know could be the person who knows what happened that day. Did someone you love act strangely that day? Did they not follow their normal routine? Have you heard some gossip about the case? Someone bragging?

"Anything - no matter how small, could be the information we need to find our wonderful, kind, amazing Leah. She has so much to live for. She has the rest of her life in front of her. We just want to give her an enormous cuddle.

"Call 101. Help us. Please. The £5,000 is still there - unclaimed. It could be yours."

Meanwhile, supporters of the family have launched a petition on Change.org to major TV channels, pleading them to broadcast more national coverage of Leah. Already more than 1,880 people have signed it.

Leah CroucherLeah Croucher
Leah Croucher

The petition states: "Leah's story receives local coverage, but I believe it needs to be made more national as by now she could be anywhere in the country or even the world. People don’t just disappear without a trace. Someone, somewhere must know something.

"National coverage again may prompt someone, somewhere, to end the agony and confess what has happened to the home-loving, sweet-natured Milton Keynes girl."

Sign the petition on https://www.change.org/p/bbc-and-itv-leah-croucher-search-story-to-receive-national-coverage