Family of missing teenager Gaia Pope appeal to find 'darling girl'
A 19-year-old man and 71-year-old woman held on suspicion of murder have been released under investigation.
Thursday 16 November 2017 06:15, UK
The family of missing teenager Gaia Pope have vowed to find their "darling girl", saying they miss her "beyond words".
Miss Pope, 19, from Langton Matravers in Dorset, disappeared on the afternoon of 7 November.
A 19-year-old man and a 71-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of murder after officers raided two homes in Swanage on Monday.
Investigators say that both the man and the woman are known to Miss Pope. Both have now been released under investigation.
A wide scale search is under way, with the coastguard and volunteers from Dorset Search and Rescue and Wessex 4x4 helping officers from Dorset Police.
In a statement issued through the force, Miss Pope's family said: "If anyone knows where Gaia is we beg you to let us know.
"To Gaia. We all love you forever. We miss you beyond words. We will find you darling girl.
"The thought of seeing the sunshine of your smile again soon keeps us all going and hoping."
In their statement, Miss Pope's family thanked volunteers and emergency services involved in the search for the teenager, who had been staying at an address in Swanage before she vanished.
"The massive effort to find Gaia has been great comfort in what everyone will understand is a deeply worrying and scary experience for all who love Gaia so deeply," the family added.
"We understand that the police continue to investigate all possible scenarios, and we want to emphasise that the search for Gaia continues.
"We are aware of the arrests that have taken place but want to emphasise that these must not put a stop to the search until or unless there is a definite conclusion."
CCTV captured Miss Pope running along the pavement on Morrison Road in Swanage at around 4pm. She was running in the direction of a house in Manor Gardens.
The last reported sighting of her was at an address in Manor Gardens shortly after.
At the time she was said to be wearing a red checked shirt with white buttons, grey and white woven leggings and white trainers.
Describing her disappearance as "completely out of character", police now believe "she may have come to harm".