Police searching for missing student Richard Okorogheye find a body in Epping Forest pond

The search for missing student Richard Okorogheye, who went missing two weeks ago, has taken a new turn as police say they’ve found a body in a pond in Epping Forest, Essex.

Specialist police and dog units have been looking in the Forest after CCTV captured him walking towards the forest on the night he disappeared.

Okorogheye, a student at Oxford Brookes University, left his family home in Ladbroke Grove, west London and was reported missing two days later. It later emerged the 19-year-old took a taxi from west London to Loughton, with CCTV footage capturing him walking towards Epping Forest at 00:39 on March 23.

Whilst the body has not yet been identified but that Mr Okorogheye’s family have been told of the development. Mr Okorogheye’s mother, Evidence Joel, told Sky News on Thursday her son had gone to “meet somebody” on the day of his disappear.

She had heard him laughing while playing his PlayStation 5 and being “very happy” while talking to someone. “Someone was waiting for Richard,” she said.

“Every day is a nightmare for me now. I feel completely helpless. Helpless, and also, sorry to use this word, but I feel useless. Because I want to go out there, to do something to look for him, search for him, anything.”

She also issued a message to her son, telling him: “Everybody misses you. And we love you very much. We want you home. Please come home.”

More to come on the developing story.