A missing Black woman was sleeping rough and “vulnerable” when encountered by officers who let her go, police have said.
Owami Davies, 24, from Essex, left her family home on 4 July and was last seen just after midnight in Derby Road, West Croydon, south London, on 7 July, but has not been found.
Ms Davies’s family reported her missing to Essex Police on 6 July and the force handed the investigation to the Metropolitan Police on 23 July.
On Saturday, the Met revealed its officers had spoken to Ms Davies in Croydon on 6 July after responding to reports concerning her safety, but didn’t know she was classified as missing because Essex Police did not update the Police National Computer (PNC) with that information.
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The force told a press briefing on Monday: “The lady who called the police was concerned about her welfare.
“It was a natural thing for her to do, call the police, and we called the ambulance from that point because of the circumstances of how the officers found her.
“There was no inference of any crime being committed. She was clearly vulnerable by virtue of the fact that she was asleep on the street.”
Officers were called to an address in Clarendon Road, Croydon, that day to concerns over the welfare of a woman.
Police attended and called the London Ambulance Service before speaking to the woman. However, she told them she did not want help and left the address before the ambulance service could attend.
The Met only later established that the woman was Ms Davies, who was studying nursing at King’s College London, as a result of their missing person investigation.
The force said its professional standards body was consulted and is not investigating the officers. But it said the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) had requested the matter be referred to it.
In a statement, Scotland Yard said: “The Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) were consulted and as there has been contact with police, the IOPC were informed.
“The IOPC has requested the matter be referred to them. The officers are not subject to any current investigation by the DPS.
“The interaction recorded on the officers’ body-worn video has been viewed by members of the Independent Advisory Group and Owami’s family to ensure openness and transparency.”
The IOPC said in a statement: “We can confirm that we received a referral on 5 August from the Metropolitan Police Service in relation to contact officers had with Owami Davies in Croydon on 6 July, after she had been reported missing to Essex Police.
“We are currently assessing the available information to determine what further action may be required.”
The Met has issued several appeals for information over Ms Davies’s whereabouts and arrested five people – two on suspicion of murder and three on suspicion of kidnap – all of whom were later released on bail.
The force issued a fresh appeal at the beginning of last week, saying Ms Davies could be in Croydon and “in need of help”.
