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Gaia Pope: Family 'absolutely believes' teen still alive | |
(35 minutes later) | |
The family of Gaia Pope says it "absolutely believes" the missing teenager is still alive. | |
The 19-year-old, who has severe epilepsy, was last seen on 7 November at 16:00 GMT by family friend Rosemary Dinch, off Morrison Road, Swanage. | The 19-year-old, who has severe epilepsy, was last seen on 7 November at 16:00 GMT by family friend Rosemary Dinch, off Morrison Road, Swanage. |
Dorset Police believes she was captured on CCTV running past a house in the same street about 20 minutes before. | Dorset Police believes she was captured on CCTV running past a house in the same street about 20 minutes before. |
Her cousin Marienna Pope-Weidemann said the search effort by the community had been "completely overwhelming". | |
'Bring our girl home' | |
"We want to come together as a family and as a community and get out looking for her," she said. | |
"Everyone is giving 150%. All I can say is please, please, please don't stop looking. We know she is out there, we know she's alive. | |
"We're going to bring our girl home." | |
Ms Dinch, 71, and her 19-year-old grandson, Nathan Elsey, were arrested on suspicion of murdering Ms Pope on Monday. | Ms Dinch, 71, and her 19-year-old grandson, Nathan Elsey, were arrested on suspicion of murdering Ms Pope on Monday. |
The pair were released on Tuesday while inquiries continue. Officers and volunteers are concentrating their search in the area where she was last seen. | |
The force said on Tuesday it believed the teenager was still in the Swanage area and it remained "hopeful" it would find her alive. | |
Ms Pope-Weidemann told the BBC she had "absolutely" believed her cousin would be found safe and well and had "been given no reason to think otherwise". | |
Ms Pope's family previously said it was thought she did not have her epilepsy medication on her. | |
She is described as 5ft 7in tall, of medium build and with long, mousey blonde hair. | She is described as 5ft 7in tall, of medium build and with long, mousey blonde hair. |
The teenager was thought to be wearing a red checked shirt with white buttons, grey and white woven leggings and white trainers. | The teenager was thought to be wearing a red checked shirt with white buttons, grey and white woven leggings and white trainers. |
A Facebook page set up by her family to organise help to find her has been reinstated after it was temporarily deactivated earlier in the week. | A Facebook page set up by her family to organise help to find her has been reinstated after it was temporarily deactivated earlier in the week. |