*******Police update: Maddie has now been found********
Fifteen-year-old Maddie has now been missing from Southmead for 16 days, and police are "deeply worried" about her safety. Yesterday (May 11) detectives confirmed they are no longer treating Maddie's disappearance as a missing person case, but as a child abduction.
Police have launched an urgent appeal to find Maddie, who went missing, was found, and then went missing again. The last seen footage there is of Maddie is a CCTV clip taken on Stanton Road, Southmead, on April 26, which shows only her feet.
Officers have been handing out posters of Maddie while carrying out house-to-house enquiries, but say she could be "anywhere in the country". Police are urging people to share and report on the appeal as widely as possible as they continue their efforts to find her.
Also read: Timeline from Bristol teen's missing appeal to 'child abduction'
Maddie is described by police as white, about 5ft and of average build with shoulder-length brown hair. Police have released three images of her since she went missing.
Police say Maddie is a "very vulnerable teenage girl" who is at risk of being exploited. According to police, she has been known to use social media to meet people who might give her money and a place to stay.
Detective Inspector Stuart Toms said: “Maddie is very active on social media but she changes her accounts frequently. As well as appealing to anyone who might see Maddie to contact us, we’re also keen to hear from anyone who sees her online to get in touch.”
Speaking to press yesterday, Detective Inspector Laura Miller said: "When Maddie has previously gone missing she has been found in the company of adult men and it is mainly due to this history that we believe she is likely to currently be with someone.
"Maddie is a child in foster care, no one has permission to keep her from her carers. She is vulnerable and at risk of being taken advantage of. We’re really concerned about her safety and have a dedicated team working extremely hard to locate her.
"No one has seen or heard from Maddie for 15 days – since she saw a relative on 26 April when she said she was going to the shop. The circumstances of her disappearance are deeply worrying for us; her family and her carers.
“We have a number of lines of enquiry and while we’ve had great deal of help from the public to date for which we’re incredibly grateful, we still need more. Officers have carried out CCTV enquiries in the Southmead area where Maddie was last seen and posters have also been handed out to local residents by officers going house to house.
“But Maddie could be anywhere in the country and so we really need our appeal to be shared and reported on as widely as possible.
“We’re asking anyone who sees Maddie to call 999 immediately and anyone who speaks to her or sees her online to call 101. Maddie – if you see this please contact us if you can to let us know you’re safe. Everyone is worried about you.”
Anyone with information should call police and give the call-handler reference number 5222098703. Alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111
