Richard Okorogheye’s mother meets Priti Patel amid concern over police response to his disappearance

‘We need to uncover the truth of what happened to Richard,’ Evidence Joel says

Richard Okorogheye’s body was found last month (Family handout/PA)

Richard Okorogheye’s mother has met home secretary Priti Patel to raise concerns over the police response to her son’s disappearance, according to lawyers.

A police watchdog has opened an investigation into Evidence Joel’s complaints into the way she was initially treated by officers and how her reports about her missing son were handled.

Mr Okorogheye, a teenager with sickle cell disease, was last seen leaving his home in west London on the evening of 22 March.

His mother contacted police the following day but the 19-year-old Oxford Brookes University student was not officially recorded as missing until 8am on 24 March.

Mr Okorogheye's body was found in Epping Forest in Essex nearly three weeks later.

His mother has previously said she was “disappointed” with the initial police response to her son’s disappearance and told The Independent she felt police believed she was “just being frantic” and would “count the minutes” when she would call.

Lawyers representing the teenager's family said his mother met with Priti Patel on Thursday.

"My family and I are grateful to the Home Secretary for inviting us to meet with her today and for listening to our concerns about the Metropolitan Police's response to Richard's disappearance and the ongoing investigation into his death,” Ms Joel said in a statement released by lawyers.

"We trust that these concerns will be passed to the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, that lessons will be learned, and that the police will conduct a full and fearless investigation which is not predicated on the assumption of suicide.”

She added: "We need to uncover the truth of what happened to Richard."

Ms Patel said: "Richard's death was a tragedy and my deepest sympathies remain with his family, especially his mother Evidence Joel. What she is going through is unimaginable and I am in awe of her strength.”

The home secretary added: "The Met's investigation into Richard's death remains ongoing and I will continue to follow developments closely."

Towards the end of last month, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said they would carry out an investigation into the police handling of Mr Okorogheye’s disappearance.

Sal Naseem, the watchdog’s regional director, said the investigation will look at whether police responded “appropriately to the concerns raised that Richard was missing” and whether the amount of resources dedicated to enquiries were “suitable”.

“We will also consider whether Richard’s or his mother’s ethnicity played a part in the way the initial reports of his disappearance were handled,” the director added.

In a statement, the Met said: “Officers working on the investigation to locate Richard Okorogheye worked tirelessly in the effort to trace him, with assistance from specialist search teams, the Met’s Dog and Mounted Branch units, and colleagues from other police forces.

“In line with policy, as Richard had been reported missing prior to the discovery of his body, a referral was made to the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) and to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), who are conducting an independent investigation.”

The force added: “We acknowledge the subsequent complaints made by Ms Joel and will co-operate fully with the IOPC on all matters.”

Additional reporting by Press Association