Family of missing boy, 16, in emotional plea for him to ‘please come home’ as desperate search in woods hits one week
THE family of a teenager missing for a week have begged for him to “please come home”.
James Gibbons, 16, was last seen heading towards an extensive wooded area in Cuxton, Kent, last Saturday afternoon.
He has a scar on the back of his head shaped like a question mark.
In an appeal, his loved ones said: “James, if you receive this message, please come home.
“Everyone is missing you and we love you dearly. You are not in any trouble. Love you lots.”
James, from Medway, was last seen at 12.52pm on November 9.
Kent cops have carried out extensive enquiries, establishing the teen was walking into an alleyway off Woodhurst Close in the direction of Cuxton Woods.
Described as being approximately 5ft 11ins tall with brown hair, James also wears braces on his teeth.
He is believed to have been wearing brown tracksuit bottoms, a grey zipped hooded top, a white shirt with a light brown/blue chequered pattern, black socks and black material trainers.
His family’s statement went on to say: “Cuxton is a very rural area and we will only find James with help from the public.
“Please could we ask you all to check your dashcams, ring doorbells and CCTV for any footage of James.
“Please also check any outbuildings and sheds or areas where James may have taken shelter.”
They added: “Thank you to all of the individuals involved in the search for the James, including, the public, professionals and volunteers.
“We cannot express how grateful we are to you all.”
Kent Police’s Chief Inspector for Medway Garry Cook said: “Today marks one week since James was reported missing and sadly, despite an extensive search and wider investigation, we have so far been unable to find him.
“Regardless of the time that has passed we are hopeful of reuniting James with his family, and we have a large number of dedicated search officers and partner agencies committed to finding him.
“Searches have focused on the nearby rural and wooded areas which are popular with dog walkers and horse riders and we ask anyone who uses the area to keep an eye out for anything that may help in our search.
“I’d like to once again urge residents with private CCTV and drivers with dashcam to check for footage which may show James after 1pm on Saturday 9 November.”