05/03/2008

999 Call Released In Search For Shannon

Police searching for missing schoolgirl Shannon Matthews have released a recording of the 999 call made by her mother reporting that she had failed to come home.

Karen Matthews made the call when her nine-year-old daughter failed to return home following a school swimming trip on February 19.

During the call, Mrs Matthews, 32, appears to be in tears as she reports that her daughter is missing.

Mrs Matthews also tells the operator that there had been no arguments at home and that Shannon normally went to and from school on her own.

On Tuesday, police revealed that they had built up a composite fingerprint from Shannon's schoolbooks and items in her bedroom, as well as a full DNA profile.

Detective Superintendent Andy Brennan said that 250 officers and 60 detectives were still involved in the search for her.

More than 500 homes on the route Shannon should have taken from her school - Westmoor Junior School - to her home in Moorside Road, Dewsbury Moor have been searched by officers using sniffer dogs that are trained to find bodies.

Sex offenders in the area have also been questioned and it has also been revealed that police had carried out criminal checks on members of Shannon's family.

Police have also appealed for information about the swimsuit and towel Shannon had with her when she disappeared. The pink two-piece swimsuit with a blue fish design and a blue striped towel were in a plastic bag and have not been recovered. Police hope that, if they were discarded, someone may have spotted them.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact: 01274 373737.

(KMcA/JM)


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02 April 2008
Shannon's Stepfather Arrested In Porn Probe
West Yorkshire police have arrested the stepfather of Shannon Matthews on suspicion of possessing child pornography. Craig Meehan was detained after police carried out searches on a number of computers as part of the investigation into the schoolgirl's disappearance.
04 March 2008
Police Have Shannon's Fingerprints
Police searching for missing schoolgirl Shannon Matthews have said that they have a full set of her fingerprints and a DNA profile of her. West Yorkshire Police said that they had built up a composite fingerprint from the nine-year-old's schoolbooks, items in her bedroom and other personal items, as well as the full DNA profile.
25 February 2008
Rubbish Bins Searched In Hunt For Shannon
Bins on the route that missing schoolgirl Shannon Matthews would have taken on her way from school are being searched as the hunt for the missing nine-year-old continues. Fifty specialist officers have been brought in to search bins on the route between Shannon's school - Westmoor Junior School - and her home in Moorside Road, Dewsbury Moor.
07 March 2008
Shannon 'Crying' On Day Of Disappearance
Missing West Yorkshire schoolgirl Shannon Matthews was seen crying on the day that she disappeared, according to reports. Two boys are reported to have claimed that they saw the nine-year-old crying on February 19, the day that she vanished after failing to return to her home in Dewsbury Moor, following a school swimming trip.
16 June 2003
Shannon region boosted by 14m euro investment
Irish Deputy Prime Minister, and trade minister, Mary Harney has announced an investment of 14 million euro in 11 new Irish-owned high-technology start-up businesses in the Shannon Region.