November 16, 2020 1.47 pm This story is over 41 months old

Missing child was actually sleepwalking, police say

Police believe the child is unharmed
Police are looking for this child, but appreciate the quality of the image is low and are asking locals to check their CCTV footage. | Photo: Humberside Police

Humberside Police believe a missing child was sleepwalking and left his home to meet a friend before returning to bed shortly after.

Police said on Friday, November 13 that the young boy, who is thought to be no older than eight years old, was missing from New Waltham in North East Lincolnshire and they were concerned for his safety.

Officers carried out extensive enquiries for the boy wearing dark coloured pyjamas and slippers.

Teams were on the ground in the Harvey Walk and surrounding areas conducting a number of enquiries to try and locate the child, including bodies of water, woodland, gardens and home outbuildings, as well as checking school attendance and analysing CCTV footage.

Detective Inspector Kerry Bull said on Monday: “Officers from across the force continued to come together into Friday evening and over the weekend, exhausting all possible lines of enquiry to determine the child concerned and full circumstances.

“We never received a report of a missing person and enquiries have not led us to a crime having been committed.

“I want to reiterate my statement from Friday and reassure the public that we don’t believe the child has come to any harm.

“It is our belief that this child had sleepwalked or left the address to meet a friend and returned to bed shortly after, potentially unaware they are the centre of a report of a concern for safety.

“Despite no offences or risk to a child’s safety being identified on this occasion, we take all reports of this nature incredibly seriously. It’s our duty to make sure we do everything we can to ensure no child come’s into harm’s way.”