'Darkest days' for father of missing Katrice Lee
The father of a two-year-old girl who vanished in 1981 has revealed how his vow to solve the mystery led him away from thoughts of self-harm.No trace has ever been found of Katrice Lee, who went missing on her birthday near a military base in Germany where her father Richard was stationed.In an episode of the new BBC podcast Katrice Lee: A Father's Story, he reveals how he contemplated taking his own life, but instead promised Katrice's sister, Natasha Walker, that he would continue his fight for answers.Ms Walker, who lives in Hampshire, said the podcast revealed her father's "darkest days".
The first episode recounts how Katrice was with her mother Sharon and aunt Wendy at a Naafi supermarket in Paderborn on 28 November 1981, the girl's second birthday.Katrice ran off down an aisle and was never seen again.
Authorities in Germany were initially suspicious of her parents and also speculated that Katrice had wandered unchallenged to the River Lippe and drowned.However, Mr Lee, from Hartlepool, said the case should have been treated as a possible abduction.He told the programme: "It was a nightmare that I didn't think would still be a nightmare 42 years later. I've never left day one in reality."In 2012, Royal Military Police apologised for mistakes in their initial investigation.Five years later, the force revealed that a man had been seen putting a child into a green car in the same area on the same day of Katrice's disappearance.The information, which the force had received in 1981, led to a five-week excavation by soldiers of a site in Germany but no trace of the girl was found.
The podcast reveals Mr Lee's emotions, in interviews recorded at different points over the last 44 years.He said: "I went down some very dark routes and very dark avenues. And at my lowest point, I actually thought about suicide. "My choice was to continue the fight. I made a promise and that's what brought me out of the darkness."I made a promise to Natasha that I would continue the fight to get answers until I can no longer fight."Ms Walker said: "It can be at times very difficult to listen to your parents breaking their hearts on this podcast. "But then when you have an opportunity to raise awareness again that your sister is still missing, obviously you're going to do everything that you can."In a statement, the Ministry of Defence said: "Our thoughts and sympathies remain with Katrice Lee's family and if anyone has any new information relating to the disappearance of Katrice they can contact us."
The podcast Katrice Lee: A Father's Story is available via the BBC Sounds app. If you have been affected by the issues raised in this article, help and support is available via BBC Action Line.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sky News
25 minutes ago
- Sky News
'It's so unlike him': Sisters appeal for information after Scottish man Greg Monks goes missing on stag do
The family of a Scottish man who went missing on a stag do in Portugal have urged police to ramp up their efforts to find him. Greg Monks, 38, from Glasgow, was last seen in Albufeira in the early hours of Wednesday morning, on the first night of a five-day stag do. His parents and his girlfriend flew out to Portugal to help with the search the next day, but have not found any recent sightings of him. Speaking to The UK Tonight with Sarah-Jane Mee, Mr Monks's sisters Jillian and Carlyn said they are "waiting for answers". "As a family, we're worried sick," Carlyn added. "It's just so unlike him, but myself and Jillian are just trying to hold each other up back home." Jillian then said: "He deserves to be found, he deserves to be looked for, we need him home. "He's a big part of our family, and it's just unimaginable if he's just lying somewhere and we can't find him." Carlyn also called her brother "a real family man", while Jillian said that "I know that if he could phone us or reach out to us, he would, he wouldn't put us through this". Jillian said that after his friends told her "he's not come home from the night before", they asked "if there was any way we could track his phone or try and see what his location is". "I just couldn't believe it," she added. "It's not like him, he wouldn't normally do anything like this. "It had only been 12 hours since he was seen, but we were just so worried." She and his friends then tried to report Mr Monks as missing, but she said "it wasn't really taken seriously at first because it hadn't been that long". Jillian added that when her family arrived in Albufeira, police told them they had spotted Mr Monks twice on CCTV footage walking around the residential area. The area where the 38-year-old was last seen had a lot of "rough terrain" - including rocky outcrops and cliffs - and was more than an hour's walk from the Albufeira Strip, where he was thought to have left his friends. Jillian then said that while the police are looking for Mr Monks, "they just don't have the manpower" to search the area fully, and "it's been difficult for them to get the information" they are looking for. The sisters are calling for the police to use dogs to help track down Mr Monks, and have asked locals, "if you know anything, any tiny bit of information, get in touch".
BBC News
26 minutes ago
- BBC News
Euthanasia activist arrested over 'suicide pod' dies
A pro-euthanasia activist who was arrested following the death of a woman using the world's first so-called suicide pod has Florian Willet, 47, was reportedly the only other person present when a 64-year-old American woman took her own life using the device in a forest in Switzerland last pod's inventor Philip Nitschke told BBC News that Dr Willet died by assisted suicide in a separate statement, Mr Nitschke said Dr Willet had suffered psychological trauma following his arrest and detention in connection with the Switzerland death. If you are experiencing any of the issues mentioned in this story you can visit BBC Action Line for a list of websites and helplines that can offer direct help at any time. "In the final months of his life, Dr Florian Willet shouldered more than any man should," he Last Resort - an assisted dying organisation founded by Dr Willet to facilitate the use of the pod - said the arrest had left him "broken".The activist was held in pre-trial detention for 70 days while police investigated whether he had intentionally killed the woman - an allegation he was not charged to his death on 5 May, Dr Willet fell from a third-floor window, the group said, leaving him requiring surgery and needing to be "cared for by a full psychiatric team".While assisted dying is legally protected in some circumstances in Switzerland, it is strictly regulated, and the pod has encountered say the device - manufactured by Sarco - provides an assisted dying option which is not reliant on drugs or doctors and expands potential access. Critics fear the device's modern design glamorises suicide, and that the fact that it can be operated without medical oversight is dying is illegal in the UK and in most other European countries, but thousands have travelled to Switzerland over the years to end their own News has contacted the Swiss prosecutor's office for comment.
The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
‘I remember him as he was – not lying in a bed': Michael Schumacher's F1 boss gives tragic insight into star's health
MICHAEL Schumacher's former boss has given rare insight into the F1 legend's condition - 12 years after the skiing accident that changed his life. While the German seven-time world champion, now 56, hasn't been seen in public since 2013, his Benetton manager says he speaks often with Schumacher's family. 5 5 5 Flavio Briatore, 75, led the Benetton F1 team during Schumacher's breakthrough years, playing a key role in his first two world championships. Briatore appeared to confirm to an Italian newspaper that Schumacher is bed-bound, amid scarce details of his condition due to the family's commitment to privacy. "If I close my eyes," he told Corriere della Sera, "I see him smiling after a victory. "I prefer to remember him like that rather than him just lying on a bed. Corinna and I talk often, though." Briatore's update follows a claim by his ex-wife Elisabetta Gregoraci, who said: 'Michael doesn't speak, he communicates with his eyes. "Only three people can visit him and I know who they are." Claims that Schumacher can no longer speak were echoed by his son Mick in a 2021 Netflix documentary about his father's life. The 26-year-old driver said: "I think dad and me, we would understand each other now in a different way now." In the 2021 documentary, Corinna gave a rare update, revealing Schumacher is still undergoing rehabilitation and is 'different, but here' following his life-changing injuries. In April, Schumacher signed a charity helmet with help from Corinna. What do we know about Schumacher's health? MICHAEL Schumacher's life changed forever on December 29, 2013, when a skiing accident left the seven-time F1 champion with a severe brain injury. Since then, his family has protected his privacy, with only a select few remaining in contact with the racing legend. December 29, 2013 - The skiing accident: Schumacher suffers a life-threatening head injury while skiing off-piste in Méribel, France. He falls and hits his head on a rock, causing severe brain trauma despite wearing a helmet. He is airlifted to a hospital in Grenoble, where he undergoes two emergency surgeries. Doctors place him in a medically induced coma to reduce swelling in his brain. January 2014 - Schumacher fights for his life: Schumacher remains in a coma. Doctors describe his condition as 'critical but stable'. His family, led by wife Corinna, remains at his bedside. The world's F1 community rallies behind him, with fans holding vigils outside the hospital. June 2014 - Brought out of coma: Schumacher is brought out of his coma after nearly six months. His family confirms he is no longer in a coma but gives no further health details. He is transferred from Grenoble to a rehabilitation facility in Lausanne, Switzerland. September 2014 - Back home: Schumacher is moved to his family home near Lake Geneva. Corinna announces he will continue his recovery at home, with a dedicated medical team. 2015–2018 - Mystery surrounding his health: Reports suggest Schumacher is receiving round-the-clock medical care at home, costing £50,000 per week. Jean Todt reveals he still visits Schumacher and that they watch F1 races together. May 2017 - German magazine sued: The magazine Bunte has to pay Michael Schumacher €50,000 (£42,000) in damages after claiming in 2015 that Schumacher would walk again. The Hamburg regional court determined that the statement was false and infringed upon Schumacher's right to privacy. September 2019 - Schumacher secretly transferred to Paris: French media reports that Schumacher is taken to Paris for stem cell therapy at the Georges-Pompidou Hospital. The procedure is led by renowned surgeon Dr. Philippe Menasché. Details of the treatment remain undisclosed. December 2019 - Manager issues rare statement: Schumacher's longtime manager Sabine Kehm says his condition will remain private. She dismisses speculation and false reports about his health. September 2021 - Netflix documentary 'Schumacher' released: A new Netflix documentary, Schumacher, provides rare insights into his life. Corinna speaks publicly about his condition for the first time, saying: 'Michael is here. Different, but he's here, and that gives us strength.' December 2023 - 10 years since the accident: Schumacher turns 55. The anniversary of his accident is marked by tributes from the F1 world. Jean Todt confirms he still sees Schumacher regularly and describes his visits as 'full of affection'. September 2024 - Daughter Gina's wedding: Gina Schumacher, 27, marries longtime boyfriend Iain Bethke at the family's £27million Majorca villa. Reports claim Schumacher attends the wedding, but close friend Johnny Herbert later calls it 'A1 fake news'. Guests are reportedly required to hand over their phones to prevent leaks. December 2024 - Schumacher to become a grandfather: Gina announces she is pregnant, three months after her wedding. She shares the news on Instagram, writing: 'Impatiently awaiting the arrival of our little girl.' 5 The helmet will be auctioned to raise money for Stewart's charity Race Against Dementia. Johnny Herbert, Schumacher's teammate at Benetton between 1994 to 1995, described the signature as an "emotional" moment. He told FastSlots: "It's wonderful news that Michael Schumacher signed Jackie Stewart 's helmet. It was a wonderful moment. "We haven't seen something emotional like this in years, and hopefully, it's a sign. "Hopefully, Michael is on the mend. It's been a long, horrible journey for the family, and maybe we'll hopefully see him in the F1 paddock soon." Schumacher is one of the most successful F1 drivers of all time, winning world titles in 1994, 1995 and five consecutive years from 2000 to 2004. He also racked up 71 fastest laps and 155 podiums during his racing career. When asked who the greatest driver of all time is, Briatore told Corriere de Sera: "I don't know who the greatest is, because we've had Schumacher, Senna, Alonso. "Now, the number one is definitely (Max) Verstappen. I have two cars at Alpine, so I would like to have two Verstappens."
