Two-year mystery of missing mum

A FATHER was today clinging onto hopes that his teenage daughter was still alive, two years after she mysteriously disappeared leaving her young child.

Natalie Putt was 17 when she went missing from her home in Thornleigh, Lower Gornal, on September 1, 2003, just 11 weeks after giving birth to a baby boy, Rhys.

Police investigating the case called on the help of experts from the National Crime Faculty in Bramshill, Hampshire, and the disappearance has been treated as murder.

The National Missing Persons Bureau also aided the hunt for Natalie by arranging for appeals for information to be displayed on buses throughout the West Midlands.

Despite the efforts, there has been no trace of Natalie, whose boyfriend, Kevin McCallum, of Fern Road, Dudley, has since been looking after the child.

In April 2004 a crack team of detectives who worked on the Soham and Jill Dando murder inquiries was called in to help solve the mysterious disappearance.

Just a month before an 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder but released after questioning.

Hampshire-based officers from the National Crime Faculty who helped track down Jill Dando's killer, Barry George, and Ian Huntley, who murdered Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, studied files on Natalie's disappearance. But as yet no breakthrough has been made, leaving her family tortured.

Natalie's father, David Putt, aged 48, said today he was still living in hope that Natalie was alive.

"I have not given up up hope of seeing her again but the longer it goes on the more you wonder," he said. "There have been no sightings of her but I do not want to think she is dead. She could be anywhere. She could be abroad or anything."

Mr Putt said he was no nearer to discovering why Natalie went missing.

"I want her back. If she is out there and well and does not want to come back no-one can force her to, but at least if she gets in touch with us we will then know she is okay."

Mr McCallum said he did not wish to comment on Natalie's disappearance.

"I just want to move on with my life now," he added.

Det Insp Paul Etchells, of Dudley North CID, admitted there had been no recent developments in the search for Natalie.

"We have an open case of a missing girl that will remain open until she returns or other information comes to light. We would urge Natalie to get in touch with us or her parents and for anyone else with information to contact the police."

Callers can contact detectives at Brierley Hill on 0845 113 5000.