A body has been found in a pond during search for missing student Richard Okorogheye

A body has been found in a pond during the search for the missing student Richard Okorogheye.

Officers found a body in Wake Valley pond in Epping Forest yesterday when specialist divers began searching ponds in the forest.

Richard, 19, who is a student at Oxford Brookes University, is believed to have left his family home in the Ladbroke Grove area on the evening of Monday, March 22, and was reported missing two days later.

Enquiries are underway to identify the body but Richard’s family are being kept updated with developments.

Richard’s mother previously said her son was “struggling to cope” after shielding since March 2020 due to his sickle cell disease.

His family have criticised the police during the investigation after they claimed that officers had initially been unwilling to act on his disappearance.

Richard, who had started his first year of a Business and IT degree, was caught on CCTV leading his home and heading in the direction of Ladbroke Grove at around 8.30pm on March 22.

In a previously confirmed sighting, Richard was seen boarding the 23 bus southbound in Ladbroke Grove at 8.44pm.

Further enquires have established that Richard then took a taxi journey to a residential street in Loughton, Essex.

He was captured on CCTV walking alone on Smarts Lane, Loughton, towards the area of Nursery Road and Epping Forest at 12.39am on Tuesday, March 23.

Friends had used social media to spread appeals to help trace the teenager that have been shared thousands of times, including by celebrities such as the singer Dua Lipa and the author Bonnie Greer.

Officers, police dogs, and specialist police divers began a search the Essex area and Epping Forest over the weekend and the body of a man was found yesterday.

Superintendent Danny Gosling, who is leading the investigation, said: “Yesterday afternoon we were informed by colleagues from Essex Police that a body had been found in a lake in Epping Forest.

“While we wait for formal identification, we have spoken to Richard Okorogheye’s family to update them with this latest development. Our specially trained officers continue to support them as they have done throughout.

“Our officers, with the assistance from specialist search teams, dogs and horses, and colleagues from Essex Police, have been carrying out extensive searches in Epping Forest since Richard was last seen on CCTV in the area 15 days ago.

“The post mortem will take place in due course and we await formal identification.

“This is an extensive enquiry and we are working tirelessly to establish the full circumstances. The forensic, medical and specialist enquiries are ongoing. As part of our investigation we remain in the area to carry out further searches.

“I would like to thank the public for supporting our search for Richard, sharing appeals, checking doorbell and dash cam footage and passing on any information. I continue to urge anyone with information to come forward.

“Lastly, I’d like to sincerely thank the public’s support and patience whilst we continue with our enquiries. I understand there are a number of questions and we are doing all we can to answer them.”

Richard’s family are being supported by specially trained officers.