Owami Davies was missing for nearly two months
(Picture: Owami Davies)The police watchdog says it will take no further action after it emerged police had contact with then-missing nurse Owami Davies after her disappearance was reported.
But the Met Police and Essex Police are set to carry out an “open and transparent” review of their handling of the case - to see if improvements can be made for future missing persons investigations.
Owami was missing for nearly two months, before she was found found safe and well in Hampshire on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old student nurse was reported missing to Essex Police on July 6. Her family raised the alarm after she failed to return to her home in Grays, Essex.
The same day, Owami was found asleep in a doorway in Clarendon Road, Croydon, where she was reportedly waiting for a friend.
Met Police officers were called to the property over concerns for her welfare, but she allegedly told officers she did not need help and left the scene.
Owami had not been marked as a missing person on the police database at this time, and the Met only later established that the woman was Owami.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) requested the matter be referred to them, after the force arrested two people on suspicion of her murder and three on suspicion of kidnap - though all were later bailed.
But on Wednesday, the watchdog said it would be taking no further action after Owami was found safe.
A spokesperson said: “On August 5 we received a mandatory death or serious injury (DSI) referral from the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), in relation to contact MPS officers had with Owami Davies on July 6 after she was reported missing.
“The DSI referral was made after the force announced it had made arrests on suspicion of her murder.
“Given that Owami Davies has now been found safe and we have not received information from the force that Ms Davies has suffered any serious injuries, the referral not does not meet the criteria for a DSI referral.
“We have advised the Met that it is invalid and therefore we will be taking no further action.”
Any police contact with a member of the public - where there is an indication police contact may have contributed directly or indirectly to their death or serious injury - must be flagged with the IOPC.
Commander Paul Brogden of the frontline policing team said: “Whilst this matter does not meet the criteria for an investigation by the IOPC and this matter is not subject to any enquiry by our Directorate of Professional Standards, we know there have been concerns raised around the search for Owami
“Therefore we, alongside our colleagues in Essex Police, will be carrying out a review of all our actions from when Owami was first reported missing. We will carry out the review in an open and transparent manner to ensure we have acted correctly and to identify any ways to improve our response to finding other missing people.”
