13-year-old girl missing after attending party as three arrested on suspicion of kidnap

A 13-year-old girl who has been missing since Sunday is believed to be in the South London area as three men have been arrested on suspicion of kidnap.

Carmelle Hepi from Barnsley was reported missing by her family to South Yorkshire Police just after midnight on Sunday.

She is believed to have gone to a birthday party in Watling Street, Camberwell, on Sunday night, where she attended a birthday party with a small gathering of teenagers at around 10pm, before leaving with another group of people in a car at around 11pm.

CCTV of Carmelle Hepi yesterday in Croydon Primark (Video: The Met)

She is also believed to have attended addresses in Croydon, Lewisham and Purfleet in Essex.

Officers believe Carmelle may now be in the company of an older male. It is not known yet where they might be.

Three males, all aged in their 20s, have been arrested on suspicion of kidnap. All remain in custody at this time.

The Met said there is no information at this time to suggest that Carmelle has come to serious harm.

But her age, vulnerabilities, and concerns around who she may be associating with have led detectives from Specialist Crime to open an investigation.

South Yorkshire Police established that Carmelle had gone to Barnsley Station on Saturday and then on to Sheffield before travelling to London Kings Cross St Pancras, and would have arrived in London at around 6.10pm.

A picture released by the Met shows Carmelle in a car and is believed to have been taken in the Peckham area on Sunday.

Footage has also been released from the same day showing her entering the Primark in High Street, Croydon at around 4.45pm before leaving at around 5.05pm. It shows her in the pink and white jacket she may be wearing now.

#MISSING | 13yr old Carmelle is missing from Barnsley, South Yorkshire. She traveled by train to London, was last seen at 10pm on 24/06/23 in Watling St, SE15. She is believed to have links to Croydon, Purfleet & Lewisham. Please ☎️101 with any information. 3258/25JUN23. 2282AS pic.twitter.com/7TZCwfEEZl

— Southwark Police | Central South BCU (@MPSSouthwark) June 27, 2023

The senior investigating officer is Detective Chief Inspector Chris Wood, who said: “Carmelle, I want you to know that you are not in any trouble whatsoever. Our one and only focus is making sure that you are safe and well.

“Please call 999 and speak to us, or go to a police station, and we will get you back home safely. Your family are desperately worried about you and while we’re supporting them as best we can, they need to know that you’re OK and to come home. They cannot rest until you’re back with them.

“My team are working round the clock, supported by our colleagues at South Yorkshire Police and local officers. As well as the arrests made, we have spoken to multiple people, searched a number of addresses and officers are conducting extensive CCTV enquiries, along with various other leads we are pursuing.

“Members of the public can help us locate Carmelle. If you have seen Carmelle, or you know her and have information about where she is or has been, it is imperative that you contact us. It doesn’t matter if you’re a friend who has heard or seen something in passing – you won’t be in trouble. What matters is that you contact as you could have significant information to help us find a missing teenage girl.”

Please call 101 or tweet @MetCC with any information 3258/25JUN23. For immediate sightings please call 999.

Pictured top: 13-year-old Carmelle Hepi from Barnsley in a picture believed to have been taken in Peckahm (Picture: The Met)