Family and detectives honour memory of schoolgirl 20 years after murder
BRAVE family members and police detectives honoured the memory of a young girl on the 20th anniversary of her disappearance and murder.Danielle Jones, 15, was last seen back in 2001, on June 18, when she left her family home in East Tilbury to go to school.Her body has never been found, but Danielle’s uncle, Stuart Campbell, was convicted of her murder in 2002 and jailed for life.On Friday afternoon the teenager’s mum, Linda, and brother Mitchell, gathered at Essex Police’s Chelmsford Headquarters for a special memorial 20 years on.Laying flowers and engaging in a minute’s silence, they were joined by several detectives including Chief Constable BJ Harrington and Det Supt Lucy Morris.The force’s DCI Stuart Truss, who is the current SIO and continues to liaise with the family, also attended, as well as other former and current family liaison officers.The emotional occasion also saw a former senior investigating officer who worked on the case make an appearance, in addition to the original interviewing officer.Speaking at the memorial event, Danielle’s mum Linda, said: “We have always been grateful to Essex Police for their tireless work in securing justice for Danielle.“We know all of those at Essex Police, past and present, share our wish to find Danielle and bring her home and are touched they keep Danielle close to their hearts.“It is that care and compassion that gives us confidence that, if there was any new information about where she is, they will act on it.“Over the years we have repeatedly appealed for information that could help us find Danielle, but in truth only one person holds that information.“Now, 20 years on, I hope he will finally do the right thing and allow us to lay our darling daughter to rest.”In the wake of the schoolgirl’s disappearance, Essex Police undertook one of the largest searches in the force’s history to find the teenager.It later became clear, however, she had been murdered, and the hunt became a search for her body, but her body has never been found.Despite being sent down for her murder, Stuart Campbell has never disclosed where he put Danielle’s body, leaving her parents, including dad Tony, without closure.Following the memorial, DCI Truss added: “Victims are at the heart of everything we do at Essex Police.“Over the years we meet many families in their darkest hours who have lost loved ones in the most unimaginable way and, even when we have secured a conviction, those families and those cases never leave us.“Danielle has never left the thoughts of all of us over the years who have had involvement with her case and her lovely parents, Linda and Tony, who have maintained strength and dignity throughout.“To lose a child is beyond words, but to never be able to bury them and say goodbye is incomprehensible.“Danielle’s memory will never be forgotten by all of us at Essex Police – both past and present - who have been touched by her case.“I know I speak for all of us when I say that today we remain as committed as we were 20 years ago, to following up every line of inquiry and every new bit of information in the hope of finding Danielle and finally returning her home to her parents.”Anyone with information about Danielle’s murder is asked to call Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
